The President's Informant
by Kalawyn Tawariell
Summary: Olivia Bluefield would do anything for her family. When her President's-Cabinet member sister Marie asks her for a favor, she's quick to agree. Little did she know it would take her to a completely different galaxy. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Stargate Atlantis does not belong to me. If it did, "Sunday" would have never happened and Dr. Weir would not be dead. **

**This is my side project when I have writers' block and need to write **_**something**_** for fear of going insane. I do not expect much traffic, but it'll be here all the same. Publishing will be intermittent. 'S all I got. Enjoy. R&R. **

Stargate Atlantis: The President's Informant

Chapter One

Olivia Bluefield was still quite beside herself with fascination and extreme confusion. It had been a month ago when her sister Marie had approached her with the top-secret situation. Marie was a politician and one of the few in the world who knew what was happening in an entirely different galaxy. Moreover, one who had decided, quite determinedly, to get a better grasp of the whole ordeal. Therefore, Marie had asked her younger sister Olivia to be her eyes and ears millions of light years away. How Marie had been able to get such an ill-qualified person aboard such a conspiracy, Olivia had no clue, but her sister was a politician; pulling string was kind of her thing.

Even as Olivia walked through the hold of a very Ancient ship, she still could not quite wrap her head around it. Who was she to be doing such a thing, anyway? She was a twenty four year old young woman, with very loving family and friends, fresh out of college. She was five-four, with copper-brown hair that had a mind of its own and near-sighted green eyes. She wore black, rectangular glasses to accent her oval face. Olivia was cursed with her father's broad shoulders and she was no petite princess. She was simply Olivia, High School English teacher and aspiring linguist.

College graduate with Masters in both fields of English and Education, she was fluent in four languages, but that was nothing extraordinary, for she had always liked languages. She tried to define her own personality and style independent of her sisters. And after so many years, she had succeeded. She considered shooting things a stress relief, but she would never harm a living, breathing being. Again, she felt obligated to state to herself that she was not qualified for what her sister had asked of her.

Then again, Marie was a politician and had used her eloquent and refined persuasive skills to get her into this scheme of adventure. She had promised it would not be for long. Yet, so far, her adventure had consisted of endless questions from formidable people of consequence and weeks of travel aboard a spaceship. Fabulous. Olivia was beginning to get stir-crazy and cabin fever.

So it was with great relief when Colonel Someone-or-other had announced their arrival on the planet of their destination. Olivia had not bothered to learn names or places; she was still in shock. Atlantis, her sister had said. That was her destination to meet a Dr. Weir, "who," Marie had said, "would take very good care of her until it was time to return home."

Olivia sighed. Wonderful. So it was her favor to her sister that had found young Olivia, with her two duffels and a backpack, being transported via creepy-lighted-materialization-rings to the center of a main control room. All by her lonesome. Great. Perfect, really.

The place was remarkable, indescribable with mere mortal words. The architecture was unlike any she had seen before, with strange blue lighting and staircases. Olivia's green eyes darted here and there, taking in the strange new faces busy at their work with similarly unidentifiable devices.

A woman was coming toward her, distracting her attention from her new surroundings. She wore a red uniform blouse and grey pants. Short wavy brown hair and kind eyes stared back at her, trying to give warmth to Olivia. Because of the way the person carried herself, Olivia knew it to be Dr. Weir. It was the same way Marie carried herself.

The woman smiled and offered her hand, "I am Dr. Elizabeth Weir. You must be Miss Bluefield. I've been expecting you."

Olivia smiled hesitantly in return and shook her hand, replying, "Please, call me Olivia. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dr. Weir."

Dr. Weir nodded her head and said, "Please, come to my office. We can get you settled and introduced to my main staff once they return."

Olivia furrowed her brows in confusion, "Return from where exactly, Dr. Weir?"

Dr. Weir replied as she led them up one of the staircases, "You'll know everything shortly. I know it'll be quite a shock, but I believe you will be able to accept it in time."

"Incoming wormhole! Colonel Sheppard's IDC. Coming in hot!"

Olivia jumped at the sudden declaration and watched in horror as the giant ring behind her came to life. Her eyes widened as soldiers came forward, seemingly out of nowhere, with weapons drawn. Dr. Weir placed a hand on her shoulder to guide her up toward the overlooking balcony and out of danger. Following with amazement, Olivia watched as four figures came through the rippling blue liquid, firing in the direction from whence they came.

Olivia saw Dr. Weir give a short nod to some technician. The wormhole was deactivated and a film of some sort covered the entrance. She stared with interest as the men below her began to relax at some silent command.

"Colonel Sheppard, better late than never." Dr. Weir said to the leader down below.

"Right. Well that was certainly not a friendly planet." An average height, dark haired man said with a data pad in his hand and a Canadian accent.

"What happened?" A concerned Dr. Weir asked from the railing.

"And how was I supposed to know, Rodney? That's the reason we check these things," replied a taller, messy haired man with an intimidating weapon in his hands, "Don't **ever** use that planet as an Alpha site, Elizabeth. Place is crawling with hostiles. We entered, explored and were shot at. I **hate** getting shot at."

Olivia smiled nervously. What exactly did he mean by that? Anyway, she was beginning to feel very uncomfortable and awkward standing next to the leader of Atlantis. Holding what few possessions she had been permitted to bring, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she fought the nervous urge to bite her lip.

"Noted, Colonel. In the mean time, we have a guest I want you to meet. Please check in with Dr. Beckett before coming to the debrief. Bring him back with you for our meeting when you return. I don't care if he's busy. We have things to discuss." Dr. Weir replied. The man nodded and he and his team left.

Meanwhile, Olivia followed Dr. Weir to her office and sat down across from the woman. They sat for a while without speaking and then Dr. Weir leaned forward and opened her mouth to speak. However, she closed her mouth and her fingers moved to her head. An apology and a couple cryptic words of excuse took her away, leaving Olivia alone in the office.

In total, it only took all of five minutes before Dr. Weir's attention was drawn elsewhere. Olivia should not have been surprised. After all, her sister was constantly being called away to squash some sort of mishap of other. Politics was, above all else, messy. Olivia remained in the office, keeping away from the strangers. It was not that Olivia did not socialize; she was just in a very uncomfortable situation with many new people and hardly any knowledge of the place. Sucking in a shaky breath, she tried to hold back panic and instead, played with the hem of her forest green blouse.

Her mind wandered absently over the wooden desk with strange carvings decorating it. The laptop was standard issue, but the books on the bookcase were not. Olivia stood to investigate further. She loved books. She **was**__an English teacher. Everyone in her family owned quite the collection. Olivia believed what authors a person read told a lot about that person's personality. She smiled to herself. It was the summer and she was still wound as tight as a teacher dealing with finals.

What she found were various manuals and regulations, along with some Hemmingway, Twain, Plato and Doyle. The spines made her smile as she fingered them. She thought classical literature indicated a person of strong character and integrity. Olivia grimaced at Plato. She hated philosophy.

Her hair was beginning to impede her vision, so she wearily tugged the hair tie out of her hair and half-French braided it. The shorter pieces of her angled haircut would not fall out so easily. Finished, she stretched her neck and continued to explore curiously. She had hoped Dr. Weir would return quickly, for Olivia desperately wished to find a room and crash. Her body was having difficulty keeping up with all the traveling.

She pressed her right palm against her forehead. Closing her eyes and readjusting her glasses to sit more comfortably on her nose, she whispered to herself, "Dear God, why am I here?"

A knock sounded behind her, causing her to jump and turn to face the intruder. The tall, dark haired man from before was standing in the doorway. His eyes were a hazel shade, Olivia could now see and his hair was shaggy. His posture was relaxed despite the intensity in his gaze. His build screamed military.

Olivia smiled her nervous smile and said softly, "Hullo."

He flashed a disarming smile in return, "Hello. You must be the guest." He stepped forward and held out his hand, "Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. Do you know where Dr. Weir went?"

"Uh—She said she'd be back in a few minutes, but that was half an hour ago. I guess someone called her on the radio." Olivia replied, motioning to the device in his ear.

"Hm."

"Is she here?" The Canadian from before came through the doorway, looking for the missing Dr. Weir.

"No, Rodney. You'd see that if you were paying attention."

"Well, I hope she gets here before Zelenka blows something up. I really need to look over the last set of diagnostics from the last planet. Oh—" the man froze as he apparently noticed Olivia's presence for the first time. "Hello. Dr. Rodney McKay. Who are you?"

"She's a guest, Rodney." Dr. Weir said as she returned. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. A familiar face was a fine sight. Dr. Weir motion toward Olivia, "Come with me, Miss Bluefield, everyone is present."

Olivia followed her out the office door and down the hall to a wide-open meeting room with a strange, triangular table. She closed her eyes and rolled them. Great, more people. How many were here, anyway? As they all entered and took a seat, walls suddenly closed around them, making her whirl around and regard the doors with distress.

Dr. Weir spoke as some of the others chuckled, "It's quite alright, Miss Bluefield. Have a seat while I introduce you to the people you will be mainly working with."

Olivia stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets and mumbled, "Olivia, if you please."

Dr. Weir smiled again and it made Olivia begin to wonder whether it was a sincere or diplomatic smile. After all, Marie had both and this one looked like the way her sister would smile toward someone she didn't like intruding. Dr. Weir cleared her throat and continued,

"Everyone, this is Miss Olivia Bluefield. She'll be staying awhile as a favor of the President."

"As in 'President of the United States of America?'" The one she knew as Rodney asked cynically.

"Yes. Now, Olivia," Weir said with a glance to the woman in question, "will be assisting in the language department and helping the Athosians learn to read and write English.

"Olivia, this is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. He is the military commander and leader of SGA-1. Dr. Rodney McKay is one of our brightest leading scientists and on SGA-1. Teyla Emmagen is the leader of the Athosians and a member of SGA-1, along with Ronan Dex. And finally, Dr. Carson Beckett is our head physician."

Olivia glanced around the room and shifted her weight off her right foot. The woman named Teyla had olive skin and warm brown eyes and everything about her was warm and pleasant. The Ronan character was her complete opposite. He was gruff and intimidating, standing against the wall with his dreadlocks. He was huge, easily twice Olivia's size. The medical doctor was smiling kindly, and his disposition was obviously inclined toward a welcoming and assuring bedside manner. Overall, Olivia felt like she would eventually be able to be friends with the lot of them. Eventually.

Dr. Beckett was quietly scrutinizing her, why, she had no idea. But her attention was drawn to the scientist when he asked,

"How many languages do you speak? And why has the President asked you to come here?"

She sighed and replied immediately, "Five. Koine Greek, Hebrew, Sign, English and Dutch. But really, Dutch and German are really the same, just different dialects, so six, I guess. I am also familiar with Egyptian hieroglyphics. My sister is trying to get me to learn Spanish, but I refuse. I think Latin will probably be next, so I'll know all of the dead languages.

"My sister is in the President's Cabinet. Beyond that, I am not at liberty to declare my intentions."

The Canadian gave a silent guffaw and stared at her with a questioning glance. Dr. Beckett stood and fixed her with a stare,

"When'd you sprain your ankle, lass?" she smiled at him. He was Scottish and his accent was lovely.

"Uh—" and then Olivia broke out in giggles. "Sorry. I've never been called "lass" before. Kinda feels funny. I twisted it a few weeks ago."

He gave her a pointed expression while everyone else watched the exchange. He sat up from his chair and gave a gesture for her to sit down.

"It should've healed by now." He replied and took off her canvas, rubber soled boot.

Olivia dipped her head in embarrassment and added, "And then I rolled it a couple times? It doesn't hurt that badly; I do it all the time. Hardly is painful anymore when it happ—oh!"

He gave her a doctoral glare that clearly stated her confession was clearly not a good thing. Olivia gave a sheepish grin, shifted her gaze away from the doctor, and watched as he prodded her ankle.

"What exactly does a sprained ankle have to do with anything? I still want to know what she's doing here with an apparent executive order and a sister who is a politician! It sounds somewhat suspicious to me. Sheppard, you know when politics get involved it's never a good thing. I mean, excluding Elizabeth and Teyla, of course. Ronan?" McKay stated as he watched her with his calculating blue eyes.

Olivia took a deep breath and tried to be patient. She really was a patient person, truly, but she was starting to get annoyed. All she wanted at this moment was a bed to lie down on and some quiet to organize her thoughts. There was still so much to comprehend and her head was throbbing. She could feel the stares of the men and the softer, yet still staring glances of the women. Being around her sister and all those politicians had taught her many skills, one of them knowing when she was being watched. It set tingles up and down her spine.

Finally, the Dr. Beckett released her foot and she stood before he could say anything in opposition.

"Listen," Olivia said firmly with a slight edge of annoyance in her voice, "I can't tell you anything I have no gosh-darned knowledge of. Get over it. The interrogation is not appreciated and neither are those contemptuous thoughts within your minds that you are having very little success at veiling, sir. I have the impression that the lot of you is not usually so cool to company and a hunch you've handled far worse than twenty four year old me. Something must be generating such hostilities. Either that or I am completely fed up with the entire trip, absolutely exhausted, in much need of sugar and a bed that isn't hurling through space at speeds only God-knows how fast. I'd be much obliged and in a kinder disposition if someone would grant me such simple civilities." Her breath hitched in her throat and she paused, on the verge of tears. Her last words came out in a desperate whisper, "Please, I'm exhausted."

Of course, Olivia's tiredness made everything seem to be a greater degree than what it was in reality. She had been thrust into an extreme situation far from everyone she loved and from everything she knew. It is with no great surprise she lashed out in her grandest moment of mental and physical fatigue.

Dr. Beckett took her elbow as the eyes around her softened a bit and she tried to apologize with an ashamed, "Sorry."

"I apologize, Olivia. We did not realize how much of a toll your journey has had on you." Dr. Weir said, "Carson, if you would?"

"Ah, yes." He replied and began to lead her out of the room, "You're much too tired to be hearing everything that's goin' on. Let me take you to medical and wrap your ankle. You can stay in my office until Teyla or Elizabeth comes to show you to your room. You can rest, meantime lass."

Olivia could feel herself ready to cry. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and willed her last reserves to compose herself until she was in private. She hated being emotional in front of family, let alone complete strangers.

"My bags!" she cried and lunged for her backpack.

The Colonel grabbed it before she did and he kindly offered it to her with that charming smile. "They'll be waiting for you when you arrive at your room. I promise."

Olivia nodded and gratefully took a hold of one of the straps to her backpack. She replied softly, "Thank you, Col. Sheppard."

Then she turned and followed the Scottish doctor toward a temporary place of solace.

**I hate being cliché, so input is welcome, (even if it's a typing/grammatical error). Flames are not. I intend to finish this; however, it is low on my priority list. I simply have writers' block on my other books, so here I am. I hope you enjoyed it and leave a note. **

**Best to all,**

***~Kalawyn Tawariell~***


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I own nothing. **

**I've decided this is set around mid-season 3. Anything beyond "Echoes" is AU. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you all for your reviews. They make my day. **

The President's Informant: Chapter Two

Olivia kept a firm hand around the strap of her backpack as Dr. Beckett led her to his office with a strong, gentle hand. She took no notice of anything in the office save the couch, and promptly flopped on it. She closed her eyes against the lights and squeezed the bridge of her nose with her left hand. A migraine was starting; she could feel it behind the humming resounding in her ears. With her right hand, she fished out a bottle of water from her pack and rummaged for her aspirin. The medicine would settle the sharp throbbing in her head to a dull ache and take the sting out of her ankle. She had lied to the doctor. It still hurt and his poking at it only made it worse.

She sighed heavily, cracked the seal on her water and took a draught with her eyes still closed. She vaguely heard footsteps and a stool rolling, concluding the doctor was making good on his offer to wrap her foot. Honestly, she'd rather do it herself. Olivia despised doctors and was repulsed by the idea of strangers touching her. She had been prodded physically and mentally to the point of exhaustion at the command center on Earth. She wished everyone would just leave her alone in peace until she could get her feet firmly placed back under herself. Until then, she already knew she'd be inflicting offense left and right. She had a habit to speak before thinking while in this distressed state of mind. All well.

The Scottish man did not say much while he pinned the ace bandage firmly in place and then gently slipped her boot back on her foot. She secretly wished he would say something because his voice was warm and his accent soothing. Olivia smirked to herself. Her accent was boring.

"There you go." He said when he finished.

Olivia gave him a small smile in return and then tried to open her pills. Apparently Child Safety seals worked on exhausted twenty four year olds too. If her head were not throbbing, she would have smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. As it was, she just gave a frustrated moan.

Footsteps. A cabinet door opened and shut. Even the doctor's breathing sent reverberations through Olivia's skull.

"Here, lass."

Olivia cracked one eye open enough to see he was offering her two caplets. She lifted a dark eyebrow in question.

"Something a little stronger than aspirin." He answered, "It'll help with all the pain."

"Bless you." She murmured and then downed the tablets with her water.

He chuckled softly and then turned off the lights on his way out, "Teyla will come show you to your quarters when she's finished. Sleep, Olivia."

Olivia sighed and then smiled softly. For once, she would not argue with doctor's orders.

The Colonel had kept his promise, Olivia saw as her green eyes gratefully fell upon the interior of her new quarters. Teyla had come to find her lightly dozing on in Becket's office as soon as she was finished with her meeting. Once the alien woman had shown her to her new room with instructions on how to open the door and turn the lights on, Olivia smiled wearily at the warm-eyed woman and closed the door. Her duffels were on her cot and the room was simple and bare.

Sighing, she simply shoved the bags off her bed and set her backpack on top, determined at least to unpack her most valued possessions. With eyes half-opened, Olivia undid the zipper and withdrew her pillow from home, her laptop, a notebook that looked like it had exploded, a photo album and three photo frames. She set the pictures on her nightstand, the notebook on the floor under the cot, the pillow in its rightful place and everything else on the desk like piece of furniture near the window.

Olivia's attention was then drawn to those very windows. Walking over to get a better view, the sight made her forget to breathe. Spires and towers were hundreds of feet tall, creating a vision of such incredible engineering Olivia was amazed to think such things were possible to build. The city, for a city it was, **floated **on the water. How that was even feasible, she had no idea! However, she had a sneaky suspicion it would all be explained to her at some point or another. For now, she would content herself with enjoying the beauty and continue to settle in. She would never be able to sleep in such a barren room.

Stretching her neck and sighing deeply, she sat down on the edge of the cot and tried to block out that buzzing noise in her head. The medicine Dr. Beckett had given her had taken the pain out of her ankle and soothed the migraine to a more manageable size. The short nap had given her enough energy to walk to her room, but it was dwindling quickly.

Olivia kicked her duffel out of her way and began to figure out exactly where she wanted everything. Marie had said she would be staying for around three months, until high school began again in Autumn. Marie had told her to think of it like an internship. Once completed, she would come home and debrief the Cabinet on her mission. Marie, stubborn as she was, had refused to give her any more details.

"God," Olivia breathed as she scrubbed her hands over her face, "Marie sent me here on some obscure mission. But there must be a reason why You want me here. Show me, please."

A knock sounded on her door and Olivia closed her eyes for a moment before admitting the intruder. It was the last thing she wanted right now. Well, at least she had a moment of peace. Olivia supposed she needed to get used to it. There probably wasn't all that much down time around here anyway. So, she wearily forced her feet one in front of the other until she could swipe her hand over the mechanism alongside the door. The face she found was none other than that Lt. Col. she had seen earlier.

"Hey," he said as he entered, "came to check in on you. Elizabeth asked me to see if you needed anything."

"Oh." Olivia said as she moved back to her bed, ignoring the lead in her limbs and grabbed a random object from out of a duffel bag. "Um, Teyla already asked me that when she led me here. I'm fine. But, what time is it, exactly? I lost my watch and all track of time since I stepped on that base in Colorado."

He smirked a little at her frustration and glanced at his watch, "It's 1723. I mean 5:23. Sorry, you're a civilian."

Olivia snorted, "Heh. Well, I do know military time, Colonel. It's Zulu that confuses me, but thank you for your interpretation all the same."

"So…" He spoke, trying to fill in the awkward silence, "Where are you from?"

Internally she wanted to roll her eyes because she knew the Colonel was trying to make small talk. She_ hated _small talk. It never served a true purpose, other than wasting time and another party trying to get into her head. She did like people, she really did; she just didn't like them when she wanted to be left alone.

"I'm sure you read my file. Those people on Earth sure took enough information. Security clearance usually takes much longer than a month. The rush on it kind of exacerbated my already scorned intrusion to this place."

"I'm not really a fan of paperwork. I'd rather get to know you, not file that's been dropped on my desk. I can't learn from a file if you like turkey sandwiches, or if you like to drive fast." He offered as he walked around the perimeter of her room.

Olivia thought a moment. Fine. If he wanted to small talk, she'd attempt it just because she was too tired to protest. "I grew up in a small town named Middlebury, Vermont. I have the Green Mountains on one side and Lake Champlain not too far away to the west and Mount Washington a couple hour drive to the east. It's perfect." She paused for a beat as she tugged a pair of jeans out of her bag, "And yes."

He turned to face her, "Yes to which one?"

"Yes, I like turkey sandwiches but it must be without tomato. Yes, I like to drive fast. My favorite car is a Camaro, in silver. Or blue, or red, or yellow with dual racing stripes." She smiled at him and chuckled.

She focused back on her bag and tugged out her "bon voyage" present from Marie. She accidently activated the motion sensor and it began to sing. Olivia hurried to turn it off before it caught the Colonel's attention. He had been looking out the window, but it was too late.

"What is that?" he asked, clearly baffled by the contraption in her arms.

Olivia blushed and pressed the little red button; the tune of "jingle bells" sounded in the insipid room. "They're penguin Christmas lights. My sister gave them to me as reminder of home."

Sheppard deadpanned, "Penguins?"

"Um—yeah." She replied in an answer, "it's an inside family joke from when I was little. She makes sure to get me a penguin something for every Christmas and Birthday."

Olivia set them around the dresser and went back to pulling out various articles of clothing while the Colonel examined the photos on her nightstand.

"My family." She said before he could ask the question. "I'm the youngest. We're all pretty close. It feels weird to be away for so long."

"How long is that?" he asked as he set them back down.

Crud. She should have known this conversation was going to veer in this direction. He was the military leader, after all. He especially would want to know why she was here. True, he had only asked _how long_ she was staying, but that would inevitably lead to _why._

"Three months, thereabouts. Moreover, let me reiterate, I do not know why I am here. My sister just asked me to stay awhile and pulled some strings. She never told me precisely what I'd be doing here, so please, stop asking."

He measured her with an intense gaze and a frown on his handsome features, "I never meant to make you think I came here to question you. You're new here and we get our fair share of intense situations, so I thought I'd try to gain your trust and get to know you. While Rodney can be a bit of a — pain — the fact is we are a family here."

Green eyes dropped from his hazel stare and Olivia tried to fight the pain in her head in order to understand his words. She hadn't meant for ice to enter into his words and for his stance to turn rigid. She did not like to see the edge in his eyes. But her head still **really **hurt and it was escalating quickly, despite the pain killers the doctor had given her.

"I-I'm sorry, Colonel Sheppard. I am not usually so snippy and offensive. I just do not understand so many things and all of this- this stuff is overwhelming." She took a deep breath and tempered her emotions behind the mask she had learned to keep around Marie's company. "Please understand I intend no offence, and my curiosity has been piqued by this astronomical place. Doctor Beckett told me that there is quite an amount to comprehend. My mind and behavior are simply tainted by the shock of this city and the travel. Please allow me a couple days to acclimate before passing any judgment on my behalf. I am not my true self."

His eyebrows raised at her short speech, making her feel like she had said something out of place. His facial expression was a bit amused, by Olivia's judgment, but he let it pass and simply asked,

"Have you eaten? Come with me to the Mess Hall and we'll see if we can't get you a little more comfortable. Then we will get some aspirin from Carson, because your eyes are edged with a little bit more than just exhaustion."

Olivia shook her head, "No, thank you. I really rather rest. I have some medicine and jerky in my bag. Um," she paused and blushed a little bit, "where are the showers?"

"You were given a room with the facilities attached. They're right through the door over there." He replied and pointed behind her. "Are you sure? They have really good turkey sandwiches, without tomato."

Olivia smiled a weary smile and allowed her true fatigue show for a moment, "Quite, Colonel Sheppard. Thank you."

"All right. You'll have a tour tomorrow, then."

"I appreciate it."

Colonel Sheppard nodded his head and said goodbye before the doors opened for him and he left. Sighing, Olivia prepared her room and then took a nice hot shower. Once she had figured out the controls, that is. Her headache had escalated to a migraine again and the water slowly eased the throbbing from a pounding to a pulsating. Groaning, she finished everything she was willing to do at the moment and plopped down on the bed. She rummaged through her backpack for the bottle of aspirin and, forgoing normal safety precautions, promptly downed two more pills and half a bottle of the clear liquid. She closed her green eyes and commanded every muscle in her body to relax. A humming was still resounding in her ears, but she mentally blocked it out before finally drifting into dreams of home.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I own nothing… 'cept for Olivia and her family. As always, reviews are appreciated. Leave some and let me know what you're all thinking! =) **

**Best to all, **

**~K.T.~**

The President's Informant: Chapter Three

Olivia slowly became aware of her own breathing. She sighed deeply and stuck her hands under her pillow, trying to fall back asleep despite the fact her body was waking. Her head had stopped aching, but now she was tired from the toll the migraine had taken on her and she really just wanted to go back to her dreams. After trying unsuccessfully, Olivia rolled onto her back and slowly opened her eyes to a grey ceiling. She blinked once, then twice, before realizing her bedroom ceiling had never been grey before and bolted upright in her cot. Her heart rate raced as she tried to remember where she was. The twin was small in comparison with her Queen bed at home, the windows were taller than the ones in her bedroom, and there were no bookcases. Even the scent smelled wrong!

The duffels on the floor next to her bed reminded her where she was. Marie had sent her here. Olivia breathed in her nose and out her mouth a few times to slow her pulse back to a normal rate. She was on a floating city, on a planet in the Pegasus Galaxy, on a mission for the President's Cabinet. The explanation was easier said than understood. She rubbed her green eyes free of grit and scrubbed her face with her hands in an effort to become more alert. Running her fingers through her hair, she swung her feet over to the side and stood, making her way over to a window.

When she stared out, she assumed it was sometime just before dawn. A handful of the brightest stars were still shining in the lightening sky, winking at her in the pale light. Another hour or so and they would disappear from sight, hiding until the sun fell below the horizon again. It was a never-ending cycle and something familiar in a completely different place where even the constellations were unrecognizable. Olivia sighed and turned away.

In the gradual light, she opened her duffle bags and began to place clothes in proper places. Jeans in one drawer, pajamas in another, blouses in the wardrobe like thing. She draped her penguin lights over the desk and turned off the motion sensor, otherwise they would drive her insane. Her jewelry box went on her desk, her Bible and favorite Jane Austen novel, _Persuasion_; she set lovingly on her bedside table. She brushed her fingers lightly over the picture of her nieces and nephews, smiling at their bright eyes and dimpled faces. When she was finished, the stars had vanished and the blue sky was painted with pinks, reds, purples and oranges by the rising sun.

Olivia briefly fingered through her Bible, aimlessly flipping pages until she found the two envelopes she knew she was subconsciously looking for. One had a Presidential seal in the corner, her name written in her sister's nearly perfect script. The other simply said in a chicken scratch, _Liv. _ Olivia let out a ragged breath as she fingered the corners of the latter; she still had no mind to open the forsaken piece of paper. She did not know what it said exactly, she had a sneaky suspicion, but she still did not have the strength to break the seal and find out. It would keep, heck; it would keep another year if she chose not to open it. It had come to her over six months ago. She tucked it behind the cover and opened her sister's letter instead.

_Livvy,_

_ I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I am very thankful you accepted. I know we did not give you much to work off of but it is perfect that way. We need an unbiased and objective point of view about what is going on out there. Just be yourself and mind Dr. Weir. She and her staff will make sure no harm comes to you. If you ever get bored, ask Dr. Weir for a copy of all of their mission reports. I had the President authorize a flash drive made for you concerning personnel files and duties rosters, too. Read them at your leisure. It should help you get a better handle on things. I know you prefer to read your information rather than have someone brief you, and I believe everyone is very busy out there and probably won't tell you as much as they could. _

_ When you return in a couple months, you'll simply be asked to answer a few questions about your trip. It won't be anything absurd, I promise. Enjoy the adventure. You always wanted to travel…_

_ …Keep out of trouble. I will be occasionally checking in on you via the regularly scheduled report to the SGC. Beth will be sending you packages, as always. We love you. Thanks, Livvy. _

_ Love always, _

_ Marie_

_P.S._

_I know where your heart is still. You aren't fooling anyone in this family. Try to heal. Let go. _

"Let go?" she asked aloud to the empty room. "You really had to say that, huh Marie? Right…"

She heaved another sigh as she folded the paper and slid it back into the envelope. So, pretty much, she was a spy, right? Olivia shook her head. That made no sense. She didn't even know what she was looking for.

Adventure? Travel? A different galaxy had not been on her "places to go before I die" list. What happened to Dublin? Or Cairo? Amsterdam and Moscow? Rome? Jerusalem? Petra? Sicily?

Exasperated, Olivia set her Bible back on the table, stretched and dressed for the day. She pulled out her favorite dark wash jeans, an embroidered sapphire tunic and her favorite red ballet flats. In her jewelry box, she found her long, simple silver necklace, her favorite flowered filigree earrings and her purity ring. A little bit of white eye shadow, mascara, Chap Stick and her black framed glasses and she went out the door. Food first, Dr. Weir second. From there, she had no plan.

Hungry, and slightly regretting not taking the Colonel's offers from last night, she searched for the Mess by trial and error. Twenty minutes later found her with an ache in her stomach and light headed. Olivia found the first amiable looking Marine and politely asked for directions before her blood sugar dropped too far and she'd end up in a faint somewhere. It was simple, the young man explained as he escorted her to a transporter. She just had to press a button and wait for the doors to open and voila! She had found the Mess. Fascinated, considering elevators were not supposed to be able to go sideways, she smiled her thanks and said a soft "thank you" before stepping away.

The amount of personnel in the hall was sparse, but after considering it was still very early in the morning, Olivia figured people were still in bed or finishing the night shift. Either way, it was better this way until she could recognize and interact with people without feeling like an intruder. She casually walked over to the food spread out on a long table and promptly took some fruit for breakfast. She found a nice, quiet corner and munched on her apple while she pondered what her purpose was. No one noticed her, or approached her. It was perfect.

Olivia was not a morning person, but the apparent lack of an audience might become a motivating factor to get up early. Granted, she woke early during the school year in order to get to work on time, but she much preferred late nights and stargazing. Well, she would just have to see how her body reacted to a different planet before making any semi-permanent changes to her routine. Her brother-in-law David had traveled a lot before settling down with her sister Marie. His parting advice to her was to "sleep when you're tired and eat when you're hungry. It's the only way to go when you hop from place to place." She could almost hear his voice inside her head and it made her smile as she took another bite out of her apple.

Satisfied, she threw away her apple core and walked out of the Mess without anyone stopping to say hi or questioning her presence at all. Olivia had thought, dressed as she was, she would stand out a bit from the uniformed military personnel and scientists. She supposed they just had enough to deal with or had seen enough not to care. Whatever. It made it easier for her.

However, lack of people also meant no one to ask questions. She wanted to get to Dr. Weir's office but had no idea precisely where to go. Olivia glanced around her, taking in the strange brown/grey walls and the bluish lighting details. There were windows at the end of the hall, looking out over the city. She tucked a piece of wavy brown hair behind her ear, gazing out over the miraculous view. If she remembered correctly from the brief glance out of the Control Room windows yesterday, most of the tops of the surrounding buildings were below that room. Meaning, she needed to go up. Olivia found the closest set of stairs and did just so, hoping she'd eventually find something.

Once she reached another level, she found another staircase and continued to climb. The height was not quite right when she gazed out the windows again, so she guessed there was not any harm to keep going up. She lightly traced the wall with her right hand as she walked through the halls, searching. The coolness of the walls sent a nice shiver up her warm hand and she hummed softly to herself as she went. Unfamiliar faces passed by, one after another as the sun climbed into the sky, bringing morning into full swing. Olivia assumed it only meant that she would begin to see more and more personnel. Maybe when she got tired of searching, she would just ask for directions, but she did not care to right now.

In the meantime, she was more than content to watch the men and women pass by, tapping away on some sort of data pad or talking amongst themselves as they walked. As the time slowly passed by, Olivia was not sure if she was glad that she felt invisible, or if she was worried that no one realized her presence. A smile, or a glance at the least, would have been nice. Therefore, the emotional rollercoaster she always tried so hard to avoid began, or rather, Olivia's indecision of emotions began to play with her head. Did she, or didn't she? As much as she loathed Shakespeare's plays, _Hamlet_'s "to be or not to be" plagued her with its often accuracy of her mind. She was not mentally or emotionally unstable, indeed, she was far from it. Sometimes…she wondered if she was bi-polar… Olivia shook her head, the things a bored mind could think… She was perfectly healthy: mentally, spiritually, emotionally (except for the letter in her Bible), and physically (save her ankle).

Her inner circular dialogue convinced her it would be better to find Dr. Weir sooner as opposed to later. The way she was sounding to herself made her think she _was _crazy, but considering her current circumstances, she blamed it on the space travel.

"What are you searchin' for, lass?"

"Wha- oh!" Olivia forced her attention to a man in front of her, "Dr. Beckett. Hi. That obvious, huh?"

"Aye." He smiled back at her.

"Well, I'm looking for Dr. Weir's office. I think she had something for me that I need, but I don't know where it is… am I even going in the right direction?" She asked as she cringed slightly.

"Well… You are goin' up. I'll take you, come on." He replied as he motioned her to follow him.

Olivia nodded her thanks and took his elbow as he guided her through the halls. If she was being completely honest with herself, she already knew she was directionally challenged. She could read a map but that really didn't count for anything anymore. It made her frustrated when she realized it would take her weeks to figure out where her room was and everywhere else she'd need to know how to get to before long. Her face must have read like an open book because before long the doctor asked,

"Are you alright?"

"Perfectly. But this place is huge and confusing. I've never been a city girl." She responded despondently.

"Oh, it's not that hard. The easiest thing to do is find a transporter and go from there. Ask someone if you're really lost. Anyway, didn't I tell you to stay off your ankle as much as possible?"

"Yeah, well… about that." She stumbled for a good response, "See, well, you… You wrapped it so well yesterday that it doesn't hurt anymore. Besides, I really need this information from Dr. Weir and once I get it, I can easily rest in my quarters and read on my laptop. It's imperative that I speak with her. I figured it was an acceptable excuse to venture out…"

Dr. Beckett studied her for a moment and then began, "You just got here, lass. Give it a few days before completely jumping in. This city is remarkable— and utterly terrifying."

"Hm. I can see that. Col. Sheppard promised me a tour today." Olivia replied thoughtfully as they entered the large Control Room. She watched as people milled about on extremely high tech looking equipment. Oh, her brother in law David would be very jealous. The picture of his face, green with envy, made her smirk.

Dr. Beckett helped her up the stairs as she limped, more than she cared to admit, toward Dr. Weir's office. He noticed it as much as Olivia had tried to hide it, "You aren't goin' on any tour today, lass. Doctor's orders."

"Yeah, well. That never stopped me before. Sorry." Olivia said as she let go of his forearm and turned so she could directly face him.

"Lass, you'll find yourself in the infirmary if you keep goin' on."

"Maybe, maybe not. Either way, you are such a great doctor that you can fix me up in a matter of minutes! There really isn't any need for a sprained ankle to be in a hospital anyway, I'd just be taking up space and a waste of time for all the experts like you when your brilliant minds could be better spent working on the next cure for whatever needs the next biggest cure. So really, it's not necessary." Olivia responded as she smiled her best innocent smile. The doctor just shook his head at her.

"Too thick?" she asked simply.

"Aye. A little bit, Olivia."

"Eh, whatever. I'll tell you what. I like you, even though you are a doctor. Call me "Liv." All my friends call me Liv." Her bright green eyes smiled at him.

"And I'm your friend?"

"I trust you will be Dr. Beckett, so we might as well start now. Besides, you are the nicest doctor I have ever met, so you can't be all _that_ bad. As long as you don't push me about my ankle and I can forget that you're a doctor, we'll be fine! I am very amiable, when I want to be." She said as she stood before the entrance to Dr. Weir's office.

He smirked at her, "Carson."

"See? This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship! At least, that's what I would say if I didn't hate being cliché. So forget I said that." She ranted and then knocked on the doorframe of the office.

Dr. Weir sat at her desk and looked up from her laptop, "Good morning Olivia, Carson. Come in."

"Hi Dr. Weir! I have a question." Olivia stated as she sat in a chair.

Dr. Weir leaned back from her desk and interlaced her fingers in her lap, "Yes?"

"My sister gave me a letter before I left. I just opened it. She said there should be a flash drive for me with mission reports and stuff; it's supposed to help me figure out what this place is and such. May I have it, please?"

Dr. Weir didn't answer, she just opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a silver thumb drive with the Atlantis Expedition's insignia on it. Olivia reached across the desk and took it when it was offered to her.

"Thanks."

"The President notified me about that a couple weeks ago. I was asked to make a space for you in the Anthropology Department in Languages; I trust you will be comfortable there. I'll have a uniform, radio and ID sent to your quarters and arrange a basic tour whenever you're ready."

"A uniform?" Olivia asked as her dark eyebrows knitted together in masked torment. "Fabulous."

Before Dr. Weir could reply, Col. Sheppard walked in, passing by Carson and moved to lean against the corner of Dr. Weir's desk. His confident air almost overflowed into cockiness and his disheveled, windblown dark hair assured her of his flyboy nature. It was easy to spot when many of Olivia's friends were pilots. They all held a certain, distinctive gleam in their eyes: a thirst for the uncharted skies, speed, and the mystery of space.

"Yes, a uniform. We were told to treat you like everyone else. No VIP treatment for the young woman with a sister in the Presidential Cabinet. Sorry, no special chocolates on your pillow for you." He teased. "It is time for a tour, I promised it to you yesterday."

"Fan-flippin'-tastic. For your information, I happen to like chocolate. We can't rectify that part, by any chance?" she asked hopefully and put on her best puppy dog face. "Anyways, I'm under doctor's orders to get my flash drive and read while I stay off my feet." Olivia replied as she motioned to Carson standing behind her. "I'll have to take a rain check on that tour, sorry."

"You seem to feel better today, Olivia." Dr. Weir remarked as she watched the small exchange.

"Oh, yes. Sleep helped immeasurably! I feel much better, thank you." Olivia said, "But I do believe I am taking up too much of your time, Dr. Weir. If your workload is anything like my sister's I do not wish to interfere, cause any problems, or distract you from your duties. I'll just try to find my way back to my room, if you do not mind."

Dr. Weir nodded her response, "Of course. Have a nice day, Olivia."

Carson offered his arm and said, "I'll take you back to your quarters, Liv. This way."

He led her out the office and down the stairs of the Control Room. Olivia stopped walking abruptly and leaned down on the base of the steps to look at the freakish glowing blue light illuminating shapes on the back part of the staircase. She had noticed them yesterday, but today they seemed significant. The markings seemed familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Like a word on the tip of her tongue that would drive her mad, until she figured it out. They were strange, somewhat digital-like in form, but clearly letters of some old, forgotten language. It fascinated her.

She stared at them for a few minutes. She knew in her peripheral vision the Lt. Col. and Carson were on either side of her, probably thinking she had tripped or something. Not caring, she kneeled on the bottom step and traced the shapes with her fingertips as if in a daze.

"Lass, those are stairs." Carson's brogue broke through her thoughts, "You walk up and down 'em."

"Huh? Oh!" Olivia exclaimed when she saw Carson waiting for her to regain her sanity. "Sorry." She said, as she blushed crimson and stood up.

"Something wrong?" Colonel Sheppard asked her.

"Oh, no. These markings…"

"Are Ancient letters. What's new about that?" The Canadian—Dr. McKay, she remembered—finished for her as he walked toward them from the other side of the Control Room.

"Well, they may look Ancient to you, but they look Hebrew to me. I mean, this is a "resh," "het," this could be a "lambda" and an "alef". Possibly a "bet," "tsade" and a "gimel." It may be nothing, but it is a curious occurrence. A bit capricious, I admit. However, I would have to study it to be sure. I don't consider myself fluent, but I can give it a shot."

"And with all the scientists on Atlantis, you think we missed something? We've been here for years." Dr. McKay asked in his arrogance. "It's a message in Ancient. Would you like me to translate it for you?"

"Simmer down, ferret face." Olivia exclaimed. "Don't get so defensive. Yikes. Different people, different minds, different perspectives based on experience. I have been told my thinking is strange. I'm no genius. I am an English teacher. However, with all of your formulas and logic, I predict you miss the simplistic of resolutions. 'Sides, it's not like I'm here for anything constructive, at least humor me so my skills don't dwindle into forgetfulness."

"John, what's going on here?" Dr. Weir called from the balcony.

Olivia ducked her head. She hadn't intended capturing all this attention, she just thought it was interesting. She _did_ know five or six languages, after all. She did have a knack for fanciful notions too, but this seemed concrete. It was only a hunch, and it really wasn't a big deal. McKay just had to go blabber and get offended. It would be stating the obvious if she said he annoyed her. It was her second day here and she had already started a "people to avoid" list.

"Nothing, Dr. Weir. I just had a digression, and Dr. McKay felt it justified to derail my train of thought. He blew it up, actually, but that's okay. I'm used to it. Um, if you'll excuse me, I'd really like to go to my room and sleep off this jetlag – planet lag? Whatever." Olivia interjected and smiled her best dimpled-diplomatic smile.

Dr. Weir tilted her head slightly and judged the group of people in front of her. Believing Olivia's story, she gave her a small smile in return and shared a look with her military officer, before stepping away again. No doubt to finish business with something far more important than young Olivia.

"This way." Carson said as he regained Olivia's focus.

Olivia gave an infamous "Bluefield" glare to Dr. McKay and walked away. It'd be better to leave and ponder it on her own, she decided. She didn't want to get into trouble on her second day on a planet in a different galaxy, and she did not want to know what would happen if she ticked off the head scientist. Only bad things, probably.

She couldn't keep up with the many twists and turns and the transporter they took back to the living quarters area. When they did arrive, she smiled her thanks to Carson, who said goodbye and went to his station at the infirmary. Col. Sheppard stayed for a few moments, reminding her how to open the door and letting her know the uniform would be brought by later that afternoon.

Olivia said her thanks and asked, "Dr. McKay is going to be watching me like a hawk, huh?"

"He's not so bad. He just has to warm up to you. It helps if you keep a lemon nearby. He's convinced he's deathly allergic." He offered.

She chuckled at his advice. "I'll remember that."

"I really should go. It's frowned upon when you're late for a mission."

"That's a fact. See you later, Col. Sheppard." Olivia said as she stepped into her room.

A glance at his retreating form struck a chord deep within her. It was a classic case of a soldier switching into warrior mode, it was a distinctive change in attitude, and the last time she had witnessed that… Steel had entered his eyes before he left and his face had hardened. His broad shoulders had squared and his posture had turned from relaxed to alert and taunt. Their last kiss was not what it should have been…

Sighing dejectedly, Olivia walked over to her bed, pulled out her laptop and turned it on. Plugging in the flash drive, she settled herself to read for a while. The reading was extremely interesting; almost like something out of a science fiction novel she would usually read on Earth, but it did not keep her attention for long. She tried to block out the old memories… tried desperately and to no avail. It was time to let go, she knew it was, but her heart and head were not on speaking terms these days. She sighed heavily, tucked her headphones in her ears and played her favorite music. It relaxed her enough so she could finally focus.

For the next few days, she spent most of her time reading those archives and she gradually processed the vast amount of information thrown at her to a point where she could believe it. The constant thought running through her head was: "Is Marie insane?"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry it took so long. I haven't had a problem with writer's block in a while, and college has been a bit insane this year. Right now, life is crazy. I find stability in God and my writing. So cheers and R&R. Have a fantabulistic day! :)**

**I own nothing. I think I've said that before… **

Chapter Four

It took Olivia a few days of hiding in her room to read all the archived mission reports Dr. Weir had given her. Her mind spun in ways she did not know were possible. By the end of the week, Carson gave her a clean bill of health and finally permitted her to walk around for more than a trip to the Mess Hall. She had seen very few faces since she had arrived but the ones she did know were mostly welcome sights. Dr. McKay made her a little worried with his critical eye and know-it-all attitude. She understood he was a genius, but he did not have to be so incredibly arrogant about it. The man needed a good dose of humble pie and knocked off his high horse by a few pegs. If she stuck around long enough for her irritation to reach her limit, she might just do it herself.

Since her arrival ten days ago, she now knew how to get to the Mess, Dr. Weir's office and her quarters. However, the only reason she had learned it so quickly was because of those weird transporter things that easily took her from one place to another without having to climb too many staircases.

This particular day was her second Wednesday at Atlantis. She lazed in bed until she found the mental clarity to sort her thoughts coherently and reluctantly rolled herself out of bed. As the days went by, the cot was gradually becoming more familiar, cozier, but she still preferred her own bed. Her green eyes moved to rest on the blue-paneled uniform draped across the back of a chair. Both the uniform and the chair were new additions to her room, the former less welcomed than the latter. Olivia liked how she dressed; she did not like others telling her how to dress. She scrunched her slightly freckled nose and glared at the dreadful material. With a sigh, she resolved herself to a compromise. She would wear the grey cargo pants today and consider wearing the jacket tomorrow. By no means would she wear them together. At least, not anytime soon.

She meandered to her dresser, pulled out an amethyst blouse, and dressed for the day. Olivia gave a huff and an eye-roll to the ceiling when she discovered the cargo pants were a couple inches too long. Yes, she was shorter. However, since when did 5'4'' constitute "short" pants still being a couple inches too long? Whatever. She figured she should be used to it by now. She slipped her favorite earrings in her ears and glanced at the earpiece on her dresser with indecision. She shrugged her shoulders and brushed her hair behind her ears to snug it into her ear. Dr. Weir had said to wear it at all times.

Olivia closed her purple jewelry box and paused when she did not hear the latch click close. When she reopened it, she found the black velvet ring box had been jostled so it sat askew, blocking the lid. With hesitation, she closed her fingers around the box and blinked back a burning sensation in the back of her eyes. One deep breath later, Olivia marched the cursed box over to her nightstand and pulled open the drawer with more force than was necessary. She saw the letter that said _Liv_ scrawled in chicken scratch, dropped the ring box on top of it, and swiftly slammed the drawer closed. Now was hardly the time. She buckled her new military-grade wristwatch on her left hand, slipped her switchblade in her right cargo pocket, and went out the door.

She found Lt. Col. Sheppard and his team, sitting around a table at the Mess and eating from their trays. It only took a moment after she stepped into the large room for the Athosian Teyla to recognize her, smile at her warmly, and offer a chair at their table. From what Olivia could remember from the files, Teyla was a fierce warrior and a kind, determined leader.

Olivia sat down awkwardly at the table, feeling out of place with the already formulated team. She smiled at them in greeting and cracked the seal of her water bottle with a simple twist of her wrist. A quick glance at Sheppard found him sporting a nice shiner on his left eye. She almost choked on her drink because of it and carefully swallowed, followed by coughing a couple times. Her gagging had captured the table's attention as they stared at her with curious gazes. Olivia stared back at them calmly until she had her breathing back under control.

"What does the other guy look like?" Olivia asked suddenly.

"What?" He replied as he winced slightly to raise his coffee mug to his lips.

"Oh, you know, the whole I-ask-how-bad-your-injury-is and you're supposed to say, 'you should see the other guy' as a means of brushing it off. No? Well, I cut to the chase. You guys went on another mission, right? Obviously, because someone gave you the shiner since I highly doubt anyone around here would do that to you. You're too well respected. So, logic would recommend to me that you had run in with someone." Olivia paused at the end of her rambling, and then quickly added, "You went to Carson, right?"

"How are you already on a first name basis with Carson?" McKay asked from across the table.

"The amiable doctor has been wrapping my ankle for the past week. I'd think I'd know him by now, Dr. McKay. We reached an understanding, you see. However, you are interrupting. It is impolite. Please hush." Olivia responded in her patient teacher's voice and then focused her gaze back on the Colonel. She ignored the affronted look on the doctor's face.

"That damned Kolya, that's who_._" He supplied, as he set his coffee back on the tabletop with an irritated sigh.

"Oh. We're not exactly friends with him, yes?" Olivia asked as she started to cut up her apple with a knife.

"Oh, he just kidnapped us, stole some of our supplies, invaded Atlantis, tried to specifically kill Elizabeth and Sheppard, and continues to seek revenge. Other than that we're the best of friends." McKay spoke with a glare in her direction, "Honestly Sheppard, I don't know why you let him live the first time."

"Sarcasm noted." Olivia muttered to herself as she bit into an apple slice.

"I would have shot him and saved us all the trouble if I'd known then what I know now, Rodney." Sheppard growled.

"Who is he, exactly?" Olivia asked, knowing exactly whom they were talking about. It was just nice to hear it from someone's mouth instead of reading the words on her computer screen.

"Kolya." Teyla said from Olivia's right, "He was the leader of the Genii when we first met him. His people were farmers when we went to trade with them. While we were there, we discovered that the Genii were militant. Kolya later tried to kidnap Dr. Weir when they invaded Atlantis, and John shot him in the shoulder. It has been quite some time since we encountered him."

"And you happened upon him this time or just some of his cronies?"

"No. He wasn't there. I would have shot him in the chest if he had been, twice for good measure, and then emptied the mag for satisfaction." He said bitterly.

"Huh. Open mention of committing murder in a completely serious context during lunch, with a twang of underlying justification that sounds a bit like murderous revenge. Yup, appetite's gone." Olivia said lightly as she set her apple back on her tray and pushed it away. Instead, she took another sip of water from her bottle. "You are alright, Col. Sheppard? You do have injuries other than that shiner. Your ribs are bruised at the least, the left side I believe. They might be cracked."

"I saw Carson. I'm fine."

"How did you know it was the left side?" Dr. McKay asked from across the table as he shoved another sandwich in his mouth.

Olivia huffed and then sighed, "I've seen enough of cracked and broken bones to know their symptoms, Doctor McKay. When you have close friends that are rough-and-tumble men, you eventually notice the signs after visiting the hospital a considerable amount of times. I also have a nephew who is a daredevil. Darned child has given my sister and brother-in-law more than enough trips to the E.R. with fractures and concussions. He has this bad habit of thinking he's invincible."

Teyla smiled at the mention of a rowdy child and grasped at a topic she believed would make Olivia more comfortable, "What is your nephew's name?"

"James." Olivia smiled as the boy's bright blue eyes and auburn hair. "He's eight. Fearless, he is. Scared me half to death a few weeks ago when I went to visit my sister and found him on the roof. He had decided he would climb out his bedroom window out to the maple tree and go up on the roof. He said he was waiting for the stars to come out of hiding. He wanted to be the first one to find them, and then he proceeded to try to count them for the next three hours. He fell asleep up there. It was interesting trying to get him down and into bed.

"Anyways," Olivia commented after a short silence. A rant had been building up in her since she finished reading the archives. Now was as good a time as any to begin. No one else was saying anything, "I read a bunch of reports concerning Atlantis an' all, and it was quite confusing because, let's face it, we're in another galaxy. I was wondering if I had all the facts straight. So, correct me if I'm wrong." Olivia said as she set down her bottle of water and looked around the table at AR-1. She listed off on her fingers as she listed, "There are these people called the Ancients who were all high tech 'n stuff. They created this city and made many scientific devices, weapons, observations, and so forth. They were like scientists on steroids, with their whole life purpose of gaining knowledge and "ascending" to a higher plane of existence in the form of energy. Right, like _that_ works.

"Anyway, they fought these evil monstrosities called the Wraith. They are _life_-sucking aliens that want to _eat_ us and find Earth so they can _"cull" _our people. The Ancients fought these walking horrors— and then _lost_, and ran away… but before they did, they _created_ these things called Replicators, or Asurans, to use as a weapon against the Wraith. However, that failed and they tried to destroy them. These robots like to steal memories and knowledge in order to try to "ascend" to become as equal as their creators do, but really, they're just human-looking and are actually made up of tiny robots. Fan-flippin'-tabulistic.

"Okay, so, there are these life and memory sucking atrocities and these Ancients did what? Run and hide for the rest of eternity until they all "ascended" to a higher plane of existence and left us all to fend for ourselves? Yeah, and _that_ works… Then, what did these "Ancients" really do that didn't involve making life crappier than usual and apparently condemn us all to either an invasion of our bodies by tiny robots, or a terror stricken panic, enzyme induced drug stupor and then promptly die by the actual hand of a demon creature while your life force is being sucked out of you? 'Cuz I'd really like to know why the powers that be are so set on this place being a breakthrough, when it could potentially involve a catastrophic end of the universe."

"Except for your over simplification and exaggeration of a few details, yes, you have it all correct." Dr. McKay stated as he drank his coffee.

"Oh… okay then. Just wanted to be certain." Olivia spoke as she sighed exasperatedly. She gently rubbed at her green eyes with the knuckles of her forefingers, careful not to disturb her contacts. Her eyes had become very tired from reading the mission files on her laptop screen. She would need a stronger prescription if she wasn't careful. "Why do I feel like I stepped in to a _Star Trek_ movie?" She asked aloud to no one in particular.

"Because Sheppard is Captain Kirk, so I suppose you aren't very far from your assumption." McKay responded as he took another bite of his sandwich from his loaded tray of food. "Oh," he continued while he had food in his mouth, "and according to Sheppard, Carson is worse than Dr. McCoy."

"Oh, okay." She murmured as an awkward silence ensued.

She glanced over at Ronan who had yet to say a word to her. His presence at the other end of the table weighed in her mind like a suffocating blanket. The very broadness of his figure was intimidating enough for her not to even try to break the silence with him. Olivia was certain he would speak to her or with her whenever he felt like it. He seemed a man who was not easily persuaded to think anything he did not want to. The fact that he was an actual alien, like Teyla, blew Olivia's mind. Aliens. And they weren't even little green men! Huh!

The colonel must have observed the strange silence, or Olivia's fidgeting, because he was the one who broke the quietness this time.

"Well, I believe I owe you a tour." He said as he pushed back his meal tray and pressed his left arm against his ribs. He slowly stood from his chair and smiled at her in an invitation to follow him out of the Mess.

"Uh, sure." Olivia replied as she adjusted the radio in her ear to a more comfortable position and stuck the water bottle in one of her cargo pockets. She followed him out into the hallway without another word.

"So… where would you like to go first?" He asked her, a patient smile on his handsome face.

"The Arsenal." Olivia replied immediately. She gave a bright, somewhat mischievous smile at the man's momentarily stunned expression. "Hey, you asked."

He shrugged his shoulders in indifference and simply turned around to lead the way. As they began to walk down the hallway, Olivia heard the sound of solid footfalls falling in step behind her. A quick, cursory glance over her left shoulder found that Ronan had joined them. Olivia forced herself to breathe slowly; the man made her uncomfortable to all sorts of degrees. She had no idea what caused it either. He just loomed with a dark expression resting on his thick brows. On another note, she thought to herself, she wasn't very fond of the dreads either.

Ronan's large stride moved him in front of her, abreast with Colonel Sheppard as they walked through the hallways and staircases of Atlantis. Together, the two men stood like a brick wall. Olivia was certain there was not much that could make it through the two of them if they remained side by side. She tried not to focus on their broad builds and thick muscles, because honestly, she was girl, and it was difficult _not_ to notice. It was clear they were athletic and extremely skilled. It made Olivia feel safe to a degree and respectfully apprehensive at the same time.

It wasn't long before they arrived at a large door that the Colonel opened without so much as a break in his stride. Olivia had tried to remember one turn from another, but it was impossible for her directionally challenged brain, so she simply stepped into the room. The doors slid shut behind her as she examined the place. It was clearly a cared for weaponry, organized and pristine. One type of weapons on one shelf, ammunition on another, devices she'd never seen before on another. There was even a shooting range on the one side of the room. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders at the familiar scent. Yep, it even smelled like gunpowder.

"Nice." She said appreciating, "Looks like I am a little behind the times. I have been begging my dad for a Glock, Berretta or a Sig since I was seventeen. Anything but the S&W .38 revolver he assumes everyone likes. I have only ever shot a revolver or bolt action; I have friends who use automatics and semi-automatics are extremely possessive of their weapons. They will not let me touch them. I may have used a semi-automatic _once_ when I was fourteen, but I think that's about it. Then again, my weapon of choice is quite old school." Olivia sighed, "Oh, what I wouldn't give for one of these."

Col. Sheppard's eyebrows knitted, "You know how to shoot?"

"Duh. You **do not** grow up in my family without knowing how to shoot."

"Well," Sheppard said with a smirk and reached for a weapon from one of the shelves, "this is a P-90, automatic."

He offered it to her with a smile. He walked over to the range and motioned for her to take a stance. Olivia gave him a giddy grin; she saw Ronan lean against the wall with a vacant expression. She was glad she took time to put in her contacts this morning. She kicked off her red flats and felt the cold floor under her bare feet. She cleared the barrel, checked the clip and the firing pin. She spread her feet shoulder width apart, bent her back leg to brace for a possible kickback and took aim. She switched the safety off, her right trigger finger pressed flat against the side of the trigger housing. Once she found her target, she lightly set her finger against the trigger and applied enough pressure for the weapon to fire. Knowing it was an automatic, she released three short bursts in quick succession. Once finished, she cleared her weapon again and handed it back to the Colonel.

Olivia smiled brightly at the close cluster of holes slightly off the center of mass and to the right.

"Eh. I killed 'im. Goon enough. All that matters, really. Dad taught us well."

"I'd say so." Sheppard replied.

"So," Olivia began in her sweetest, innocent voice possible, "do I get a side arm?"

"Only if and when you go off-world. Security personnel are the only ones who carry while on Atlantis."

"Technically," Olivia began to debate, "I already am "off-world." I am from Earth, after all."

"Nice try." Ronan spoke from near the doorway.

Colonel Sheppard took the P-90 from her hands, cleared the weapon and then said, "No."

"So I guess when you say "off world" you mean the planet we're on and not Earth? Is there any way I can get around that one?" she asked hopefully.

"No." Sheppard repeated.

"Well, at least I tried." Olivia said as she gave a playful despondent sigh. "Hey, I could look cute and then beat the crap out of you. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin' is all."

Olivia swore she saw Ronan roll his dark eyes at her as he continued to lean against the wall. The man had barely moved an inch. "Sheppard, I don't think you should be giving her a weapon again anytime soon." Ronan stated.

"Hey!"

"Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard."

The Scottish voice caused the three of them to turn and see Carson standing in the doorway with an extremely put off expression on his face. A glare Olivia had never seen from him before adorned his warm features. It was pointed directly at Sheppard, who stood a little behind and off to the side of Olivia. She turned around and faced him with a small smirk on her lips, trying desperately not to issue a sassy remark. She settled for saying, "You said you went to Carson, Colonel Sheppard. Did you lead me to believe you had actually gone by giving me a false pretense?"

"Aye, he came to see me. What he forgot was that he was supposed to come back after the debriefing. I wasn't finished with him."

"Is that so, Carson? Interesting." Olivia smiled at the doctor.

"Now come one, Colonel. Doctor's orders." Carson said as he walked over to Sheppard and took his right arm in order to lead him to the infirmary.

Olivia watched in amusement as Sheppard was led out the door, his face a picture of displeasure. Ronan followed Sheppard down the hallway. She stood there for a minute, torn between following the three men and trying to figure her way back to her quarters. A voice saying her name in her ear decided for her.

"Olivia." Dr. Weir's voice spoke over the earpiece.

She tapped the button on the side of the small device, just as Dr. Weir had demonstrated two days ago when the leader of Atlantis had brought the thing to her room. "Yes, Doctor Weir."

"We are in the middle of a routine check in with the SGC. Your sister wishes to speak with you."

"Oh, goodie." Olivia sighed softly, more for her own ears than Weir's. Marie's letter had been so cryptic and utterly frustrating with her postscript that the woman probably just wanted to see how she was "healing." Marie meant well, but she could be fiercely annoying. She was an older sister, so it was pretty much in her sibling job description.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, I'm coming. I, uh…" She looked around for Carson or Sheppard, but they had vanished from sight. "Fabulous." She muttered to herself. "I'll be there as soon as I figure out how to get there."

She heard Dr. Weir breath slowly over the radio. Olivia could almost imagine the knitted eyebrows and creased forehead in response to Olivia's lack of directional ability. She was sure it had to be a joke around the city by now. Olivia Bluefield: completely incompetent when it came to her surroundings.

"Don't worry, Doctor Weir. I'll find help to get me to the Command Center. I'll just ask the next Marine I see. This place is crawling with them after all. Tell my sister I will be there to talk to her very soon. I promise."

"Good. Weir out."

Olivia sighed heavily and walked down the same corridor and around the same corner she had seen Carson and the others disappear around. She figured it was the best way to find someone who could take her to where she needed to go…

Marie had been the one who had sent her here. She could wait a few minutes for her younger sister to arrive to speak with her over the radio. It was only right.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey all. It's been awhile, but I never promised to be regular! Summer was great, and I have been writing a lot for my own books. Almost thirty-thousand words! And I haven't had a problem with writer's block for some time. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to see what Olivia is doing. We can't just fling a girl into Atlantis and expect her to save the day, now can we? That's way too unrealistic. So, anyway, have fun reading. (Sorry it's a bit short and rough. But I'm on a limited time shpeal here; I'm home on a college break.) Thanks to everyone who reviews and/or touches this fic. It makes my day to see the feedback. =)**

**P.S. I don't own SGA.**

The President's Informant: Chapter Five

Olivia perched herself easily on the wide arm of Carson's couch. She tucked her feet to the left and leaned back against the backboard; the back of her head rested against the cool glass wall that made up part of the perimeter of his office. She felt the coolness soak through her hair and soothe the constant buzzing in the back of her mind. Honestly, she thought she had knocked the bloody noise out with the meds Carson had given her a short time ago, but it had come back with vengeance. At first, she thought it was Marie's fault, considering the pain had attacked her brain soon after speaking with Marie via radio at the Control Room. However, blaming her older sister for everything was not going to be productive, and Olivia could barely open her eyes. As much as she hated doctors, she knew Carson was the only one on this floating city that could help her.

She cleared her mind, closed her eyes, and focused on the cooling sensation on the back of her head. Olivia lolled her head to the right, letting the iciness soak into her throbbing temple.

"Olivia." A rich Scottish voice broke through her silent mind. "Haven't seen you in a few days, lass."

She responded with a dismissing wave of her left hand, "Been busy."

"With?"

"Life." She replied ambiguously. Actually, she had been hiding in her room with the windows blacked out, trying to juggle the pain in her head with that in her heart. Wallowing in self-pity might be a more accurate phrase as she'd glared at her bedside table drawer, willing it to burst into flames. A handful of Marie's words were still floating in her head three days later, and a name Marie had uttered threatened to shatter Olivia's somewhat stitched together world.

"Well, life can be very hectic. I know mine is." Carson stated as he rifled through some of his cabinets and drawers. "I'm afraid I can't stay to chat, Liv. Doctor's duties."

"Wait!" Olivia cried as she quickly opened her eyes and focused on Carson's slightly blurred face. "Help." She whimpered as she grimaced and slumped back against the wall.

Carson's face changed from preoccupied to concern. He took the three steps to Olivia's side and gently brushed his fingers against her forehead. The taunt muscles in her face relaxed at his butterfly touch. The palm of his other hand cupped her cheek.

"You're flushed, Liv. What's wrong?"

"Head. Buzzing. Hurts like crazy. Won't go 'way." She whispered, whimpering, through barely parting lips.

"Headache?"

"Uh-uh. Not just. Freakin' migraine." Olivia explained through fragmented speech.

Carson just gave a nod and tucked a piece of coppery brown hair behind her ear. He gave her a kind smile and then walked over to a cabinet to pull out a bottle of pills and grabbed a bottle of water from somewhere. She didn't really care where he got it from, just that it was cold when it was pushed into her hands. Olivia wrapped her hands around it as she did with hot chocolate in winter. Carson set two horse-pill sized capsules in her left palm and motioned her to swallow them.

"When did it begin?"

"Few days." She mumbled, "Before Marie called me."

"Does your sister's company always illicit such a strong physical response?"

Olivia tried to chuckle, "Sometimes. But she promised she'd tell Beth to send me Snicker doodles, Chocolate-Peanut butter Oatmeal no-bake cookies, and ingredients of my own."

"Beth?" Carson asked politely.

"Other sister. She's the one with the kids. Also older than me. She likes to send me stuff. I don't complain. 'Specially since I like the stuff she sends me." Olivia commented as she began to unfold herself from Carson's couch arm.

He held out his hand to help her and asked, "Marie is the one who sent you here?"

Olivia nodded slowly, so she did not jerk her head too hard and aggravate the noise in her brain.

"Maybe the migraines are a psychological response to her sending you here."

Olivia just looked at him with her nose scrunched up and her eyes glaring at him, "Remember when I said we'd be friends as long as I could forget you're a doctor? Well, you're not helping your cause. Not to mention the fact that Psychology isn't exactly in your purview. That's what Psychiatrists and Psychologists are for. Abigail is one. I try to forget that too, for the sake of our friendship."

"Abigail?"

"Best friend. You remind me of her. But I don't need Psychology. I need pain relief. And something to do."

Carson knitted his brown eyebrows at her, a question clearly painted in his blue eyes.

"I've been here coming up on a month, and I have yet to do anything anyone had promised me or said that I would do. Doctor-pompous-Scrooge-McKay will hardly let me near the labs, and if I do manage to get into the area, he insists on not leaving me unsupervised. It's as if I'm some child prattling about in a grown-up's conversation, and I don't know any better. All I've managed to do is float here and there. I don't go much anywhere, and all my sister tells me is to 'observe.' Observe! What kind of crazy nonsense is that!

"Doctor Weir had said I was going to teach the Athosians on the mainland. I haven't really left this bloody tower. If someone doesn't let me do something or go somewhere soon, I have a fine mind to cause some trouble and meddle." She turned to point at Carson, "You're my witness. I have given fair warning."

"I do not think that would be wise, lass." Carson cautioned.

"Your point?" Olivia asked him as she stopped the pacing she had begun at the start of her rant.

"Well, your head must be feeling better." Carson responded with a grin.

She looked at him for a moment before blushing lightly, placing a palm to her forehead, and saying, "Oh — right. I was ranting, wasn't I? Oops."

Carson smiled at her and replied as he squeezed her shoulder, "Just give it time. You still have two more months here, right? Many things can happen in that time. Atlantis is a very confusing and hectic place; you still have plenty of time for adventures around here. If you're really out of sorts, go talk to Elizabeth or Colonel Sheppard. McKay is not as smart as he thinks he is sometimes."

"Ya think?" she responded and pressed a palm again to her forehead. The medicine had worked and rather quickly too, much to her pleasure. "So what?" She asked, "Just sit around, wait, and observe?"

"Aye."

Olivia gave a devilish smirk and as quickly as the medicine had soothed her head, her attitude changed to playfulness. She said lightly, "I'm just not that kinda girl, Carson." She gave an impish grin and spoke again in a sing-song voice, "See ya later!" and marched away toward the door. Once she was outside his office, she spun back around and found Carson had followed her. She impulsively kissed his cheek with a "thanks for the pills" and practically skipped out the infirmary. Carson just shook his head in her wake, as if trying to dispel cobwebs from his muffled brain.

Meanwhile, Olivia walked through the corridors of Atlantis until she found the Mess Hall. She stuffed a bottle of water in one of her cargo pockets, grabbed two apples, one for her other cargo pocket and the other to munch on, and set off to explore.

In theory, "observe" could mean a variety of things. She could observe people eating, or working, or doing nothing. Alternatively, she could observe this miraculous city, which she was much more inclined to do; so, technically, she was not doing anything outside of her orders. It was a loophole, and her sister _was_ a politician. If she had a fuss, or if Olivia got into trouble, Olivia would simply make it sound like it was a completely innocent, but naïve way of executing her sister's instructions. Yep, that'd do it. Therefore, with her "in case of trouble" excuse in place, Olivia started her excursion. Marie_ had_ taught her a few things too.

She went back to her room, grabbed a flashlight, and promptly proceeded to get herself lost. It wasn't a difficult thing to do; she just stepped into one of those crazy elevator things and pressed a dot somewhere she had never seen before and relatively far away. It swiftly took her down and around and somewhere else until she did not know any land marks. Perfection! It was time for an adventure!

The humming in her mind had returned, but this time it did not give her a migraine. It was more like a soft whispering song resounding in her ears, and she realized with chagrin that it had been constantly in her mind since she arrived. It was not painful; at least, it was not when she did not try to fight it. Olivia supposed it was only hurtful before because she had been trying to repress the sensation, and the effort had given her migraines. But at this point, she did not care. She let her feet be her guide any way they wished, and let the singing soothe her.

When she looked up, the sight amazed her. The structure of the city was remarkable. The spires, angles, and height of it all was astounding. Olivia's mind still could not comprehend the fact that it was _floating_. How the heck, in the name of all things holy, was a city of this kind of monstrosity supposed to be buoyant? She did not have the slightest clue. Guess that was the problem of whoever built the darned thing. The Ancients, she'd read somewhere, had intelligence in spades.

She found the ground floor and began walking through the streets, striding along the waterside, relaxing in the soft breeze of whatever the planet's name was. If she squinted hard enough, she could barely see the shape of landmass along the horizon, though it could very well have been her imagination. The sun was shining, warming her clothes just as the Earth's sun in the Milky Way Galaxy. If she closed her eyes, she cloud almost imagine herself at Beth's house. Her sister always enjoyed living near the ocean. A deep breath proved that it even smelled like the Atlantic.

Tired of walking, Olivia picked a random door and it instantly opened for her. The blue glowing lights turned on, illuminating the inside of the building.

"Weird." Olivia said to herself.

Panels came alive. Computer screen type displays dropped out of the ceiling. With every step she took into the building, more lights and technology came alive.

"Ooooooh..." She spoke again, her voice echoing in the silence. "Hello alien pieces of technology…"

With awe, she examined the subtle markings on the walls, floors, ceiling, and every other surface in the room. Those strange letters that seemed so close to Hebrew for her were written all over the area. She stopped at one station and fingered the controls. On the screen there appeared a mass of letters, or what she assumed to be letters, only they seemed to be slightly different from the ones she had seen in the Control room.

Curious, she began to scroll through the screen's contents… yes. This was very interesting, indeed. And on the plus side: No Doctor-pompous-Scrooge-McKay! Olivia smiled. She was not causing mayhem. At least, that is what she thought. After all, no one was around demanding her leave, and she was content to spend the rest of her day here. The letters were familiar in an alien type of way. And by "alien," she meant strange, not extraterrestrials.

Olivia was obviously not omniscient and could not possibly be aware of the monitors in the Control Room. Why should be concerned with something no one had yet bothered to tell her? She could not possibly be doing anything wrong, no one had warned her against exploring…

"But she needs something to do, Rodney! You cannot keep her from her lab. Elizabeth designated it for her." Carson argued as he stood in front of Elizabeth's desk.

"She doesn't know what she's doing! Her experience with this kind of atmosphere is nonexistent at best." Doctor McKay replied. "Really, Elizabeth, I don't understand why you're letting her stay."

"Perhaps she would gain some of this 'experience' you're so adamant about if you would allow her to work in her own bloody lab!" Carson shot back.

"Gentleman, please." Doctor Weir entreated from her desk chair. She steepled her fingers and continued, "Miss Bluefield is the sister of a highly prominent figure of American Government who has the complete trust of the President. I doubt very highly that they sent her here for nothing. They want some sort of opinion of this place, or our work, though I will not deny that sending a young woman like Olivia Bluefield was their best choice, I am disinclined to lock her away in her quarters for the remainder of her stay.

"Doctor McKay, you will permit Miss Bluefield to work in her office. If allowing her to do so will keep her out of trouble, I am wholeheartedly for it. Check on her from time to time, but do not, I repeat, _do not_ give her any reason to feel like we are restricting her from doing something productive."

A knock on the door by Colonel Sheppard brought their attention away from each other. He gave a puzzled look before asking, "Hey, McKay, do you or Zelenka have anyone down exploring in the unsecured labs in the East pier?"

McKay gave him a confused look, "What? No."

Weir and Sheppard shared a significant look only gained by experience. Carson only muttered something about "bloody Olivia" and moved to walk out of Weir's office. He hesitated a moment before turning and addressing the trio he'd left, "I'll bet it's just Olivia. She said she'd meddle if she wasn't given something to do. She probably wandered around and got lost. Girl doesn't know her right from her left."

Doctor Weir pinched the bridge of her nose with the thumb and pointer finger of her left hand, "Even if that is the case, we need to find out what she is doing and how she managed to turn anything on. McKay, go with Sheppard, take Ronan and Teyla with you. Find out what she's 'meddling' with and tell her she can work in her office."

They all moved to leave as Doctor Weir added behind them, "And if I hear you won't let her in to work on her own McKay, you'll be responsible for whatever else her teenage-like adventuring will cause. Are we clear?"

McKay ducked his head a little as if he'd been a bad boy and replied sheepishly, "Yes, Elizabeth."

Then the members of Sheppard's team went their way to search the labs of the East pier.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey all! I know I haven't been around in a while, but I haven't had writer's block and wrote almost 30,000 words for my book =), and college always keeps us away from what we really want to do, if we're honest... Anyways, I know you don't want to hear all of my supposed excuses… hope you're all well, and I thank you all for your wonderful reviews and favorite story listings. I really never thought people would like it. I hope this chapter will place me in better graces… Enjoy reading! =) **

**Disclaimer: Me no own. Is there really any other simpler way to say it?**

The President's Informant: Chapter Six

Olivia brushed back her bangs from her slightly dampened forehead and fiddled with one of her large, leaf-shaped earrings that Beth had given to her before she left. She continued to scroll through the database that had appeared and only found a handful of words she could recognize. The Hebrew word for "world" stared back at her once or twice, Greek characters flittered here and there. There were other squiggly and digital-like shapes resembling letters of languages she had never seen before, but her brain could not connect the dots. There were only two dots of data she could understand. Still, two points should give her a straight line to something! The screen stared back at her as if it knew something she did not and was mocking her for it. Olivia closed her eyes and took a calming, relaxing breath to clear her head. It was so strange, this world her sister had sent her off to.

Steps echoed through the building, breaking her jumbled thoughts of annoyance and confusion, and Olivia held her breath so she could hear more distinctly. She had been alone, she'd been sure of it, and the sound of something alive nearby scared the heck out of her. She dug the flashlight she had brought with her out of her cargo pocket and held it like a club, just in case she had to knock someone upside the head in order to get away. She was a decent runner. She'd get away if she had to. Besides, her fight or flight response and adrenaline should give her a boost…

The sounds came nearer, accompanied by whispering voices in the dim light of the hallways leading to Olivia's current position. She saw flashlight beams flit over the doorway to the room she was in and her heartbeat raced as she tightened her grip on her flashlight. The idea of attempting to hide briefly passed her mind, but it quickly flew away as she listened to the blood pounding in her ears. A few moments later, a flashlight blinded Olivia, forcing her to block the beam with her left hand shading her face. She heard the sound of a men's breathing and the soft footfalls of combat boot clad feet. There was a pause as the light stabbed her in the face before it dropped, and the click of weapons set to safety broke the tense air.

"Olivia?" a warm voice asked.

"Um, yeah?"

"It is us. Teyla, Ronan, and Colonel Sheppard. Doctor McKay is also here."

"Oh. Okay." Olivia forced herself to say while attempting to calm her heart rate, "Do you mind? You completely just ruined my eyesight, thank you very much! And you could have said something earlier so my imagination did run off with visions of highly improbable but no less terrifying ideas…! What are you guys doing down here, anyway?" Olivia asked the silhouetted team in the doorway.

"We picked up unauthorized energy readings. What are you doing down here?" Sheppard demanded.

Olivia blinked at his harsh tone, and she forced herself to bite back her impulsive rising ire. "I- I was bored." She stated simply with an attempted tone of nonchalance and shrugged her shoulders, as if doing so conveyed her innocence.

"So you left the control tower without permission and don't let anyone know?"

"Well… I—" she tried to reply before some cut her off.

"That is not—"

"Last time I checked I was not a prisoner but a visitor! And unless societal propriety changes from solar system to solar system, I am still quite sure there's a difference in the way they're each supposed to be treated. Stop treating me like I'm an imposter who needs those fancy silver bracelets, and let me be!" Olivia shot back at the voices. Her vision still consisted of floating dots before her eyes and had yet to see where everyone was standing. She laid her hands heavily against the control panel and forced herself to breathe. Their sudden arrival had just about given her a heart attack.

"And just how did all of this stuff turn on, hm?"

Olivia grimaced, and then covered it with a glare in the general origination of the infernal noise. The owner of that voice was one she had visions of throttling… Dr. Rodney McKay had yet to get off her crap-list. Some part of her mind knew she had placed him on said list from the moment he had first opened his mouth in her presence. She could not remember what it was he had said, but whatever it was, and whether it was what he said or how he said it, had gotten him a nice ticket to the Bluefield woman's crap-list. In all seriousness, it was not a place anyone desired to be. The vast majority of people who knew the Bluefield women were very much inclined to avoid any discrepancy that would cause their person to reside on such a list.

Despite her rising temper, Olivia checked herself by clenching her eyes closed briefly while she took a deep breath through her nose and released it out of her mouth with a loud huff. She counted to five silently before responding, "It just came on by itself. I figured there were motion sensors or something hi-tech and fancy like that. This _is_ a floating city on a planet in a different galaxy, after all."

"You didn't touch anything? Anything at all?" Dr. McKay questioned again.

"No!" She snapped back.

"Great…" he groaned.

"Somebody's grumpy… You're not happy about the fact things turned on are you?"

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Miss Bluefield. No, I am not happy. You may have just caused a whole lot of trouble that I have to fix. Nobody ever asks me if I want to fix their problems…"

"Calm down, Rodney." Sheppard ordered, and Olivia could just see his face appearing from behind the dots in her vision.

"We do not know what has happened." Teyla's voice said, "You know as well as any, Rodney, that some things the Ancients created do not require the gene to activate it."

"Let's just go back to Elizabeth's office and figure things out."

"Grand." Olivia said cheekily, "Lead on, sir. I've gotten myself lost, so… Gandalf, is it left or right?"

It was kind of like being sent to the principal's office, Olivia mused as she sat in the chair directly in front of Doctor Weir's desk. The woman's stern eyes studied her, and Olivia thought she did not look much different from Marie when she was angry. Weir was a formidable opponent, but there were worse things in life, and Olivia had confronted those and won. Well… she had won most of them, and the image of the letter and ring box hiding in a draw in her quarters flickered in her brain. A shudder ran up her spin, but she let no emotion of it show on her face. She did not have the type of strength she needed for that yet.

"What were you thinking, Olivia? This city is large and filled with things we have not identified or analyzed." Doctor Weir scolded.

"I was out exploring… was-was I not supposed to?" Olivia took one glance at Sheppard's grim face and Weir's disapproving eyes and got her answer. She dropped her green gaze to her hands, hating the way they were studying her, and stammered, "I-I didn't know. I wouldn't have if I'd known. I'm sorry. I just wanted an adventure, something to do."

Doctor Weir's gaze lifted from the young woman and moved to McKay, "Has any damage been done?"  
"No." He replied, and Olivia thought she detected some degree of disappointment in his voice, "Sheppard turned it all off. The room she was in just appears to have been a type of archive. Nothing more."

"Very well. Olivia, if you would please be more careful and do not go off somewhere without telling someone or taking a marine with you, this city can be a dangerous place." Weir stated calmly, "I told your sister I would look out for you, but I cannot do so if you refuse my help."

"Who said I needed any help?" Olivia retorted fiercely and stood, "Marie sticks her nose in where she doesn't belong, and I'm old enough to take care of myself. So, the next time Marie feels it is necessary to call you and discover how I am 'coping' or 'healing' or any other synonym to describe my emotional state, tell her to stick it in her juice box and suck it! I don't need her help, and I don't need yours!" She paused to catch her breath, and she could see a slightly stunned expression hidden behind Doctor Weir's mask. Olivia tried to act as if she had not just had an outburst and went for another tactic, "But I felt something." She offered, "It was strange, and I needed to discover what it was. I had to, you understand. There've been these vibrations and whispers in my head that are not mine, and when I went to that archive room, I found pieces of a puzzle that somehow fit together. Please, you have to let me find out what that is, before I lose myself entirely."

"You've been hearing voices?" McKay asked skeptically. "Great. We have a crazy woman on our hands."

"No." She barked as her eyebrows knitted into a scowl. After a beat, her expression turned confused and said again, with a little less certainty, "No… at least, I know I'm not crazy. Listen, I know what you all must be thinking, but you have to let me be and allow me to work on something. I'm getting cabin fever here…"

She studied the faces around her: Teyla and Carson's compassionate glances, Ronan's impassive glower, McKay's cynicism, Sheppard and Weir's questioning looks. She sat down again, somewhat defeated, but definitely dejected. Olivia let out a heavy breath and her shoulders sagged. Why, in the name of everything holy, did she ever agree to come here? It did not seem as if anyone really wanted her here, and she had yet to do any of the "work" she had been promised. The silence weighed on her head, and it felt like hours until Doctor Weir broke it with her matter-of-fact tone.

"Rodney, you said Colonel Sheppard had to turn off the devices Olivia had activated?"

He gave her an expression that clearly stated he had no idea where she was going with her line of thought.

"You could not turn them off yourself?" she continued to push.

"No, but Sheppard has a stronger ATA gene because I was injected by Carson. Which hurt, by the way…" McKay turned to Carson, hand extended to further his argument before quickly turning back to Doctor Weir. Realization dawned on his face and was quickly clouded by a cross between annoyance and contempt, "Elizabeth, you cannot be thinking that this woman could… No. It's impossible. Ridiculous!"

"Actually, it's quite probably Rodney," Carson interjected, "after all, when they sent Olivia to us, all her records were rushed and the customary ATA testing was forgone since she's a visitor and not an actual member of the expedition."

"Then she wasn't tested at all?" Doctor Weir maintained.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Olivia spoke as she turned around in her seat. "What is all this nonsense about? You're talking and all I hear is 'blah, blah, blah.' How about we pretend I have no idea what you're saying, and we start from the beginning, okay?"

"In reality, you have no idea what we are saying, so it wouldn't be pretending, now would it?" McKay retorted.

Olivia glared at him and said in an even and lethal voice, "I have no inclination as to why you treat me so, and after this moment, I will cease to contemplate the antecedent to this behavior. However, if you say one more word regarding my intelligence or presence here on Atlantis, I swear, I will find your darkest nightmares, and so help me God, make them come true. Are we clear? Because really, what doesn't clear up all the tension better than a threat, hm?"

"Do you speak to your students in such a way, Miss Bluefield?" He asked in a tone to match hers.

"No. They have enough common sense to know better than to cross me. Actually, I've never before had a problem with a person of the nature of the one I have with you. Wonder why that is?"

Doctor Weir watched as the two glared at each other, and decided it was a good enough time as any to interrupt, "Carson, would you please take Olivia and have her tested and explain to her, if you will, what is going on."

"Yes, Elizabeth." He took a few steps toward Olivia and gently set a hand on her elbow, "Liv?"

She broke her staring contest with Doctor McKay and allowed her friend to guide her out of Weir's office. She looped her arm around Carson's and took a deep breath. As she passed by Teyla, the woman gave her a small smile full of warmth, and though Colonel Sheppard kept his face neutral for the most part, Olivia saw a gleam of mischievousness in his hazel eyes. The thought made her stomach flip a little, but then she was out the door with her friend. She thought she vaguely heard Ronan say, "She got you, McKay." It made her smile slightly to herself, despite that fact she was fuming, at a loss for the pompous nature of Doctor McKay.

"Don't worry yourself about him, Liv. He's a hard one to figure out." Carson said kindly as he led her to his lab.

Her temper cooled a little at her friend's smile, "But why does he have to be so crass?"

"He's like that to everyone at first. Takes a while to get past his arrogant outer layer, and he's used to having his way since he only has enough respect for very few people here that he allows to question him. You can be just as stubborn and hostile, Liv. He's not butted heads with someone who is just as stubborn as he is in a long time."

Olivia immediately protested, "I'm not hostile!"

Carson quirked an eyebrow at her and replied, "And in denial."

She playfully glared at him as he motioned for her to sit down on the cot in the infirmary. "So… what're we doing?"

"I'm going to formally test you to see if you carry a specific marker in your DNA. We call it the ATA gene, or the 'Ancient Technology Activation' gene. Since Colonel Sheppard had to turn off the equipment you turned on, the signs indicate that you do. However, to assure everyone and have a solid result, I'm going to test your DNA."

"In layman's terms, it does… what, exactly?"

"It allows us to use technology the Ancients created."

"So, when I walked into that room and everything turned on…"

"It sensed you as an ATA carrier and turned on. Yes."

"And Colonel Sheppard had to turn it off because…"

"He has a very strong ATA gene, where as Rodney does not. Don't worry about him, Liv. He'll come around. He's always been jealous of people who could use Ancient technology when he could not."

"He doesn't have the gene?"

"Not naturally. I invented a way for non-carriers to have the gene in their system via gene therapy. Rodney was the first volunteer and got himself into trouble. Because he is not a natural user, he cannot always use things to the degrees Colonel Sheppard can."

"And when I triggered everything, he realized I must have it to a certain strength he does not and because I'm just a nobody, he's annoyed more than usual."

"Aye. But, he'll come around. He has his own ways with people. Takes him awhile to get off his high horse and realize others can be intelligent without being a genius."

"Fabulous." Olivia mumbled at she looked the other way from whatever Carson was doing to her left arm. "So, just wait out the storm is what you're saying."

"Aye." He replied. "But it would also help if you did try to get along with him, Liv."

Olivia scrunched up her nose at the offer and continued to study the design of the floor. A moment later, Carson released her arm and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. He moved over to some table she didn't care to examine and simple stared out the door of the infirmary, lost in thought. For some odd reason, she had the sudden urge to open the ring box in her bedside table. She never had opened it. Andrew, his brother, had just knocked on her door that one morning and handed it to her with the letter, given her a small, sad smile, kissed her cheek and walked away. The memory stung her eyes, and she blinked hard, trying to keep her eyes from misting.

"Beckett's not that bad. I mean, as far as doctors go, at least." Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard said easily as he walked into the infirmary with his shaggy black hair and mischievous smirk on his rugged face.

Olivia jerked at his voice, stomped the horrid thought out of her mind, and gave a good faked genuine smile, "Hello."

"Hello." He replied with a little more caution as he studied her face. Olivia blinked one and kept his stare, so he continued, "Weir and I have something for you to do. One of our teams just got back from their missions, and they have discovered a town in need of your services."

"What?" She asked quizzically and regarded him with a critical look, "What services?"

"Well," he said as he leaned against a cot, "there are children in the village who can't talk, and the villagers have no idea what to do with them. They're currently in their own type of community outside the main village. Since you know Sign Language, we figured it would be a safe assignment for you and get you out doing something other than getting into McKay's hair. You up for it?"

Olivia paused at the sudden turn of events. One minute, she was being scolded, and the next she was needed to do what? Teach children how to communicate? She had no background in interpretation or teaching that type of thing…

"Colonel, Sign Language isn't universal. It's not identical from state to state in America, let alone from one side of a county to another, and each country has its own form," she protested.

"Great! We're leaving in the morning, so eat a good breakfast. Teyla will be by to make sure you have all the gear you need. See you tomorrow, Olivia."

Olivia watched dumbfounded as Sheppard walked out of the infirmary. She caught Carson's gaze, since he had been listening to the entire exchange despite the pieces of medical equipment in his hands, and asked, "What just happened?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **

**Mandy- I am very pleased you think it's sweet; sometimes I worry it doesn't come across that way. Thank you for saying so. =)**

**Kelly- I just finished Junior Year in a difficult college with a double major and in the middle of writing two books that I plan on publishing somewhere down the road. Actually, I'm almost done with one (I'm excited). I have every intention of finishing _The President's Informant_, but I'm very busy. I have pages and pages of notes for Olivia, and she's a joy to write. So, my answer to your concern is that I will update when I can, and I don't have any aim to abandon anything. I'm very glad you like my story. =)**

**Reviews are sunshine… 8)**

**Disclaimer: Yeah… no. Still no ownership over here…**

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The President's Informant: Chapter Seven

Not for the first time today, Olivia Bluefield took a deep breath and fought the urge to smack herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand. If anything, the hollow _thwack_ sound of her palm hitting the flesh on her skull would alleviate her frustration and annoyance with a certain flyboy who shall remain nameless… However, his face still floated in her mind's eye, even as she refused to think of him. He had come into the infirmary yesterday, informing her of the need for her "services." It left her baffled, and he'd given hardly any explanation and refused to listen to her objections concerning the very _large_ flaws she noticed in this plan. It was so unfair, really, at how suave the man was, how arrogant, how delightfully roguish he was with his haphazard hair and mysterious hazel eyes… This time, Olivia did smack herself on the forehead.

The truth of the matter was complicated, but it eventually boiled down to the fact that she was scared. The notion that she could be attracted to another man, no matter how short the time they've spent together, frightened her. Especially after the roller coaster life she'd had over the last few months, these types of thoughts and feelings were not something she was ready for. She could not handle it. Not yet. Not after a part of her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Granted, it was not like she was going to marry the blasted flyboy, but just the _thought_ of being attracted to someone… after _him_, it was inconceivable! While there was a part of her that just wanted to laugh it off and be of the mind "dang straight you're a fine specimen of humanity," another part of her was the sobbing wreckage of a young woman that just wanted to cry tears all day while eating chocolate. So, instead, Olivia made the compromise of being impassive, a Switzerland, if you would, to her emotions and chain everything far from her heart. It was how she'd survived the last few months. But even still, her strength was waning, and she barely had any vigor left to hide her fear. And she was _scared._ Scared-scared.

"Damn him." She muttered under her breath and then briefly wondered at her favorite line of Charlotte Brontë's _Jane Eyre_. She guessed it was kind of how Mr. Rochester felt when Jane came back with the tales of St. John River's Grecian figure. She smirked mirthlessly to herself as she tightened the utility belt around her waist and tugged her jacket to straighten her mandatory uniform for her off-world mission. Why everything reminded her of a book, she had no idea. Her brain just seemed hardwired that way.

With one final glance at her current living quarters, she changed her mind on a whim, marched herself over to the bedside table, and tore open the drawer. The black ring box was still sitting there atop the letter, tempting her with her name staring back at her, written in _his_ hand... She bit her lip and ignored the letter, wrapping her hand around the black container instead. She stared at it for a good ten seconds before determining that it would be the only thing that would keep her mind off the annoying flyboy for the time being. It was a dangerous idea, she admitted to herself, especially since her will was fragmenting, but she refused to be beaten and opened the lid anyway.

Inside, a gleaming white-gold scrollwork band sparkled against the black velvet. Tanzanite gems seemed to glow in the morning light, their purple-blue color the shade of the dusk sky in summer, shaped in the form of a small five-pointed flower. The ring was gorgeous, and it made her breath catch for a moment. A sob wanted to build in her throat, but she forcefully stamped it down. He'd known exactly what she had wanted. The engagement ring was perfect, breaking the traditions she abhorred. With a sorrowful sigh, she undid the latch to the silver necklace she was currently wearing, and slid the ring onto the chain where it clinked delicately against the small pendant once belonging to her grandmother.

A knock sounded at her door, and Olivia quickly tucked the ring and the pendant under her shirt. She tossed the box back on her cot and went to open the door. Teyla's warm face greeted her, and the two left to join the rest of the team in the Control Room. Their walk to the others was companionable in its silence, and Olivia was grateful for the time to think before entering into whatever crazy madness this mission was going to bring her to.

Taking the ring with her was merely supposed to be a distraction. It was reckless, but so was her attraction to Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. Yes. It was true, and only God knew why, especially in her frazzled state of affairs. It was incredibly unfortunate, but the sooner she accepted, the sooner she would be able to combat it. She had been denying it since the moment he'd introduced himself to her, but as well as she knew McKay grated on every last nerve in her body, Sheppard did not. And as much as her family wanted her to heal, she doubted very strongly that this was the way to go about it.

Actually, the correct way to go about healing would be to open the bloody letter and read its contents, but her stubbornness refused her to crack its seal. Olivia did not understand why she couldn't open it, just that she couldn't, and that drove her crazy too. It made her furious to think she was not strong enough to read it, but she knew deep in her heart she had put if off too long. As time passed by, it would continue to get harder and harder. It truth, her wound was festering. She had not cleaned it and bound it properly. Olivia knew that the moment she opened that letter, she would turn into a mess of bloody pain, and she figured her numb pain was better right now than the sheering, sight-blinding pain that would inevitably occur. The type of life-draining agony that would make you wrap your arms around yourself tight to prevent your insides from feeling like they'll fall out of your body. She slightly swore at herself. She should have opened it six months ago and gotten it over with. How she wished she were home right now, just sitting in her living room with a good book and some hot chocolate, oblivious to the fact of another galaxy and a million other things.

Olivia plastered a fake genuine-looking smile on her face, masking her inner turmoil, as she entered the Control Room by Teyla's side. It took some will power to keep it on her face as Doctor-pompous-Scrooge-McKay turned toward her with an expression on his face that she didn't even bother to interpret since Sheppard was handing her something. Her fake/genuine smile turned completely genuine at the sight of a black sidearm and holster being offered to her. She had been itching for one.

"Oh, so now I get one?" She turned to the beast of a man, Ronan, and said cheekily, "Ha! I've got one!" She contemplated sticking out her tongue for emphasis, but decided it was too childish.

He just shook his head and replied, "Don't say I didn't warn you, Sheppard." Then he walked away.

The very thought of having the lethal device on her hip made her giddy, and she knew there was a dumb smile plastered on her face, but she no longer cared. The thoughts previously held in her head no longer mattered. She was about to embark on the third planet of her life. First Earth, then whatever the name was of this place, and now the letter-number code shpeal the officials used to name planets. Really, with all the languages and whatnot in the worlds, you would think they could come up with better names, even slightly creative.

In wonder, she watched as the giant ring transportation wormhole thing light up, and then promptly _whoosh_, before settling into a bluish silver liquid lake. It rippled as if someone had dropped a handful of pebbles into a cup of water. It was strangely hypnotizing and beautiful. She jumped a little when Carson touched her elbow.

"Oh," she said in surprise, turning her wide green eyes on her friend and smiling easily, "Hey. Are you coming too?"

"Aye. I want to see the little ones for myself and see if there's a reason for their condition. The infirmary hasn't been too full lately. I can spare the time."

Olivia's smile widened further, hurting her cheeks with the effort, "It's not a disease, Carson. From what I've read of the report, the people just don't know how to communicate with children who are deaf or mute. It's not necessarily something you can fix, Mr. Medicine Man. They just need to learn how to speak in a new way. Adapt."

Sheppard came forward before she could say anything else to her friend, "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Olivia replied quickly, "Can we go now, before I change my mind?"

He nodded and the rest of the team lined up and then she watched as they just walked through the rippling vertical lake. Their forms disappeared into the blue. Olivia turned to Carson and then Colonel Sheppard, who'd stayed behind waiting on her. She asked "You just walk through? Just like that?"

"Just like that." The colonel stated.

"Let's do this." She ordered in confidence that for once she didn't feel. With a deep breath, a silent prayer, and eyes closed, she forced herself to step through the portal the rest of the team had gone through.

It only lasted a moment, the feeling of discombobulation, but as soon as it came, it left, and she was walking on stone, down a few steps, and looking into the familiar faces of AR-1. The stone circle, the Stargate, sat in the middle of a green field of lush grass. In the distance, there were mountains, and trees lined the edges of the meadow. Off to the right, some few hundred feet away, there was a worn path, probably leading to some village not far away. Olivia assumed this was the path that they would be taking and immediately moved to follow it through the woods. It was the logical choice, until of course, a hand grabbed her left elbow and forced her to stop moving. She twisted suddenly and violently on the ball of her right foot and the heel of her left, spinning her to face whoever grabbed her. She brought her right palm up with the force of her turning body behind it, shoving the man in the chest. Colonel Sheppard shuffled back a step from more surprise than force.

"What the hell?" He exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, "I do believe you deserved that. A simple 'hey, hold up!' or 'stop' or 'hold on, Olivia' would have sufficed excellently instead of force, thank you very much. Next time, please defer to the previous examples, or give me a warning before touching me again. That'd be awesome."

He just looked at her with confusion on his face, "What?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, shifted her weight and crossed her arms across her chest. With a placating expression on her face, she motioned to an invisible circle around her body, saying, "See this? My space. My bubble. You in it equals bubble invasion and then force to get you out of my bubble. No bubble invasion equals no need for force. Yes? I think yes. More simply: No touchy!"

His dark eyebrows creased in frustration and his eyes narrowed, "I'm supposed to protect you, Olivia. Elizabeth was very direct about that. You can't go off on your own without the rest of the group to have your back, and you don't know where you're going. We stay together."

She paused for a moment. It was true Doctor Weir had been reluctant to let her go off-world, but at the same time, the woman understood Olivia's need to be useful. Her directions to Sheppard must have been strict, especially since Olivia knew Marie's directions to Doctor Weir must have been multiple pages long. She sighed and swallowed her impulsive anger, retorting, "Don't tell me what I do and do not know, Colonel. It only gets people in awkward situations. The path over there is very clear. We're going that way, are we not?"

His mouth formed a grim smile, and he sighed heavily, "Yes."

"Splendid! Let's go." She said as she leaned to the right to look around Sheppard's body and at the rest of the team to see them staring at the exchanged that had just occurred. "We good, ooooorrr what?"

* * *

Despite the fact the trip had started off on a rocky note, the walk to the village passed without another disruption of any sort. In fact, Olivia had found the hike through the woods relaxing. It only took a little more than half an hour to get to their destination: a decently sized town, surrounded by farms. When they arrived at the main entrance, Sheppard only needed to send word to the town mayor, since the team from Atlantis had been expected, and they were gladly escorted to the mayor's offices.

Olivia hadn't the opportunity to go explore since Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard had deemed it necessary to keep a hold of her elbow as they traveled. Because of her impulsive rush at the 'Gate, her none-too-polite shove, his duty to keep her safe, and the overall rashness of her personality, he must've come to the conclusion that his life was easier if he had a guiding hand on her person. Unfortunately for him, and the rest of the group, Olivia was not one who readily or quietly accepted the gesture.

So for now, she could not help but examine the strange town as they walked through the streets. The buildings were a strange mix of brick and mortar with wood, almost as if the town was a version of London a few centuries ago. Vendors and merchants were gathered in the town square, and what seemed to be their destination was only a few yards away up some stone steps and into a fully brick building.

By the time they arrived at what was the mayor's office, Olivia had enough and repeatedly smacked at Sheppard's hand until he let go. He shot her a warning glare, which she had no problem matching, and then gave herself a grim smile of satisfaction. The bubble invader _finally_ out of her bubble.

Once inside the mayor's office, Olivia could not help but notice that out the western side window there was a type of smaller town, sort of like a complex, but not so militarized, set apart outside the town. It was a curious thing, and it was somewhat troubling to her. She was too distracted by trying to solve the mystery of it all to notice the entrance of a middle aged man, with sandy blonde hair, graying at his temples with slightly dull blue eyes.

He shook hands with Colonel Sheppard, and then Olivia forced another smile on her face as the man turned to shake hers.

"Welcome, Miss. My name is Johnis. I am the leader here." His voice was smooth, like his skin, and his smile had an edge to it, and Olivia decided then that she did not like him.

"Olivia Bluefield, sir." She responded civilly, the normal warmth of her voice devoid in her tone. "Pleasured."

When he let go of her hand, she forced herself not to cross her arms protectively around her chest. She knew, like with many other politicians, that guarded and hostile body language would only get her nowhere. Granted, she had been very cool with her first words.

"Doctor Weir and Colonel Sheppard have informed me that you may be able to help with a problem we have, Miss Bluefield."

"That depends on how you define the problem, sir. You haven't told me yet what you expect from me."

"Ah, yes." He said as he took a step away from her and went to the window behind his desk. He peered out and continued, "For many years, out village has been accumulating persons who are uneducated and uncommunicative. Our surgeons tell me these people cannot hear or speak. They are disruptive to our lives and a burden. I'm told you can fix this."

"Fit it so _your_ lives are better, or so theirs are? And I assume these 'persons' are housed together, outside of town? The complex-like dwelling outside of town, perhaps? That why no one is bothered by them?" She felt the warning pressure on her arm again and the heavy gaze of Johnis.

"They're safe there, away from things that could get them into trouble."

Olivia sighed heavily and tried to stem her annoyance with the idiot, "Whatever. Can you communicate with them at all?"

"I said they cannot hear or speak."

"Hearing and speaking is not everything in communication, sir. Do they know how to write? I do assume you have an alphabet – that's a structure of letters for writing and reading – also known as other forms of communication. And seeing as you have books on these grandiose shelves of yours, I can only hope most of your society knows how to read and write. It would be unfair for me to say _you_ are uneducated and uncommunicative. Thereby, as a whole, I can only hope that some of those people you've outcast know how to read and write, or is my logic too presumptuous? Have you tried to communicate through writing at all, or have you just assumed that they're too 'uneducated' for such an attempt? Because, believe me, they aren't stupid. "

He stood there for a moment, stunned. After a long moment and a glare, he choked out, "Perhaps."

Olivia would have none of his political double talk games, "Have you or haven't you? It's a 'yes' or 'no' question, to which 'perhaps' is not an acceptable answer."

"Yes, Miss Bluefield. I think they may." His glower intensified.

"So they know your alphabet and can form words if they have something to write with?"

"Yes…"

"Then you _can_ communicate with them."

"Only to a certain extent. Not nearly enough to be productive in our society."

"Well, you are clearly intelligent enough. Tell me why you haven't taken better measures? You're not idiots."

"We don't have time or the skills necessary."

"Then make time, and now you have me. I'll teach you the skills necessary. I assume you love your children and families, so I suggest you start showing it. How large is your alphabet?"

"What?"  
"Letters, man! How many letters are in your alphabet? 24, 26, 38, 12? What?"

"Easy, Olivia." Sheppard whispered into her ear, sending a shiver of Goosebumps on her neck. _Damn him_, she thought to herself again.

"24."

"Okay. English has 26, so does Sign Language. Two letters shouldn't be that big of an issue. What do your characters look like?"

"I don't see what that has to do with…"

"Apparently not. But I didn't ask if you understood. You've asked Atlantis for help in communicating with your family members, and that's what I'm here to do. So just answer my questions so I can do my job."

She stood there, un-phased by his darkened features and the growing gleam of annoyance in his eyes. The silence grew until he finally stated, "My son, Titus, can show you."

"Wonderful. The sooner I know your alphabet and how it differs from my own, the sooner I can begin to translate Sign Language from English to your written language and help teach your children. Then I can teach you. But I need to know how our languages differ before I move ahead. That way, I can explain to your children what I'm doing instead of just showing them motions that they have no idea what I'm doing, and look at me like I have three heads. That will get us nowhere. I'm sorry I snapped at you, I just like having my questions answered, and my time not wasted."

"Then we'll get you right to it then, won't we? My son will show you to your quarters for the time being." Johnis stated with that slightly devious smile painted on his features, the one that reminded Olivia of one of those political snakes she'd often met while in her sister's company.

With an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach, Olivia followed the others out of the office and into the hall. When they shot her questioning glances, she ignored them. However, this time, she did not protest Colonel Sheppard's hand on her elbow. Instead, it comforted her as they made their way out into the sunshine and toward their quarters.

* * *

Later that night, after shaking off Carson's questions about her earlier behavior, Olivia blocked out the rest of the world and focused on the written out alphabet Titus had instructed her in. She rubbed her green eyes with her knuckles, trying to force her brain to make out the letters long after everyone else had retired for the day. The alphabet wasn't complicated, it was a small mercy that the two missing letters were not a problem, and she had picked it up with ease. However, some of their grammar rules were not being as accommodating to translate into the language she needed them to be in. Added to the fact she had not slept yet, the lantern light was dim, and the nagging of Johnis' challenge in his eyes, all of it was all giving her a headache. She stretched her neck from side to side and rubbed the knot in her neck she always got when tired or tense. Reluctantly, she set down her pen. She was not going to make any more progress in this state. Her over-achiever ideals were going to kill her.

A creak of the wooden floorboard caught her attention. She had expected Carson to come down from one of the upstairs bedrooms and order her to bed any time now. Instead, when she glanced up, she found the unexpected form of Colonel Sheppard coming through the doorway with what appeared to be a mug of hot liquid in his hand.  
"Hey." He said as he sat down in the wooden chair across from her and casually glanced at her work splayed out in front of her.

"Hi." She replied and continued to rub her neck, slightly unnerved by his presence.

"Coffee?" He offered.

She gave him a small smile that was somewhere in between chagrin and amusement. "I prefer hot chocolate with a splash of hazelnut."  
"Sorry. Coffee's your only option." He said as he set his mug down on the table and pushed it toward her.

She glanced at it with distaste before replying, "Well then, in that case, I'll defer to the human body's natural way of replenishing energy: sleep. I'll need more of it of I'm gonna be able to start teaching kids within the next couple days."

When she moved to get up, he pegged her with that pointed stare of his and asked softly, "Are you alright?"

Denial instantly flew to her lips, "Yes, I'm fine. Just tired. I'm going to bed."

She stood, stretched her back, and turned to the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. She had barely touched the first step with the tip of her foot before his voice froze her.  
"You're lying."

His quiet tone had an edge in it that she could not and did not desire to fully comprehend. She fought the urge to turn back around and counter his remark, choosing instead to just leave him to his hot drink as she went to lie down. But that blasted tone! The way he said it in such an accusatory and knowing way... No. She was imagining things. It was her tired mind and her hours after hours of parsing languages that made her mind foggy. Unconsciously, she reached to the ring on her necklace hiding under her shirt, her finger tips brushing the polished surface of white gold. No. This. Was. Not. Happening. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, and forced herself to lie down on the cot like bed, and fall asleep.

The next morning, she woke cramped and sore from her night on an unfamiliar bed. Groggily, she made her way back to her table where her papers were still strewn about and finished the last pieces of technical work on the alphabets in peace. She knew the others were either asleep or out and about. Olivia was certain they had told her their plans last night, but she'd been too focused on finishing the alphabet that she hadn't listened as well as she should have.

She slumped her shoulders as she looked out the window to the complex. It would make her feel accomplished if she could just start to make progress already! Yet, she knew like any other teacher that mountains could not be climbed in a day and entire stores of knowledge were not going to find their own way into the minds of those students. That was her job.

When she turned back to examine her work again, the unexpected form of a certain colonel graced the entrance of the room. Again, he held a steaming mug of hot liquid in his hands. Without a word, he walked over and set it down in front of her. With one of his trademark smiles and a gleam in his eyes, he sat down where he had the night before.  
"Good morning."

"_Guten morgen,_" she responded as she wrapped her hands around the mug and peered down into the rich brown liquid, which looked strangely like hot chocolate. A closer evaluation of her senses told her that it even smelled faintly of hazelnut. Curious, she set the cup to her lips and felt the creamy, sweet taste of chocolate and hazelnut dance across her taste buds. A surprised smile blossomed on her lips before she could stop it and she whispered faintly, "Thank you."

Sheppard nodded and gave his blasted smirk again before rising out of his chair, "Well, Teyla and Ronon should be back soon from their check in with Atlantis. I'll go wake McKay and Beckett." And then he got up and walked to the stairs, leaving Olivia with all sorts of thoughts in her head, and none of them made any sense.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I promised myself I would finish and post this chapter before the end of the month… Care to learn a few things about Olivia? I'm gonna start moving things a little faster, hope you don't mind. Reviews make the world go 'round… It makes me sad when I don't get any. So, review… please? Pretty please? With a cherry and syrup on top? It helps me know that people are reading what I'm writing. Thanks! **

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**Disclaimer: Thou hast been disclaimedth.**

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The President's Informant: Chapter Eight

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Seven days. Olivia had been under the watchful eye of AR-1 and the judging glances of Johnis for a week. In that time, Olivia Bluefield had managed to translate the planet's written forms into a version of Sign Language she had constructed for the specific purpose of the communication between the town and the "outcasts." She had practiced with Titus, who, despite being Johnis's son, shared no personality traits with his father. A fourteen year old eager to learn, Olivia found him an amiable pupil, quick to absorb anything she taught him. With his help, they would teach others. For all intents and purposes, he was a guinea-pig for Olivia's new language and teaching methods. Neither minded this arrangement.

Teyla and Ronan were often in each other's company, burning through the boring hours talking of hand to hand combat moves and tactics as Olivia sat nearby. They were just so much wiser in almost everything that it made Olivia envious, but she forced herself back into her work and ignored their muted conversation after securing a promise from the Athosian woman to instruct her in these different fighting skills.

McKay tried to impose his advances on the locals' technological, scientific, even menial, means, which were usually squashed by Sheppard. Of course, the arrogant Canadian always tried to convince everyone that his way was the best and made the most sense. Thankfully, Olivia had gotten more comfortable in her current social environment (and more ticked off) that she was no longer hesitant in telling him to shove off; especially when he was trying to tell her that she had subjugated improperly between translations. To say she threw him out of her room was not an understatement. She literally took him by his collar and chucked him out of her makeshift office. Doctor-Pompous-Scrooge-McKay hadn't bothered her since.

But John… he did funny things to Olivia, and she doubted very much that he was aware of it. It was not like he did much… he brought her hot chocolate on occasion, made sure he was present any time she had to converse with Johnis, made certain she was safe. Most of the time, he was with Teyla and Ronan, adding a detail here and there about their fighting techniques or giving some tidbit about Earth to add to their scattered information. All of this would mean very little to Olivia under different circumstances. After all, he and his team had been tasked with her safety during this mission. It was their job. His job. But there were times when she thought she saw, or imagined that she saw, him watching her, studying her with those keen eyes. Olivia had only caught him once, but then again, it had been late, and she'd poured over her notes without a break for hours, when she thought she had seen him out of the corner of her eye. He made her skin tingle, and her stomach flip, and each time he did she reached for the ring tucked safely away under her uniform shirt.

And so, she would throw herself back into her notes and work, and then he would come to check up on her, and he would do something to trigger a forbidden response, so she would dive back into her work again. It was a vicious cycle, and no one from the outside could understand the turmoil brewing inside the young woman because she did not fully understand it herself.

In reality, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard was having conflicting issues of his own. Olivia Bluefield was a strange, different young woman who carried herself with confidence born out of a maturity beyond her early twenty something years. She held her own against Rodney, Johnis, and himself. She knew what she was good at and did it well. He did watch her, studying her as she worked a new type of communication into form, slightly fascinated and far too preoccupied with discerning what shade of green her eyes were in the evening light as opposed to the noon sun. She did not seek attention, as many pretty young women her age would when surrounded by men, and there was an unmistakable sense of sadness hovering around her. He could see it in the way she smiled. It never reached her eyes or lit her face. And the glow in her eyes was dimmed by shadow. Yet, despite it all, she still worked without restraint, and it made the solider wonder if she did so in order to forget or distract herself from something that had happened before she'd arrived in their company on Atlantis.

Carson noted both their behaviors and was curious about it all, but was too busy running his tests on the twenty-nine outcasts and Olivia's blood samples to make any sense of it. Naturally, he was concerned for Liv. She was his friend and had been acting weirdly for a while, playing with the silver chain around her throat, the pendent remained hidden at all times, twisting it through the fabric of her shirt or hiding it in her fist. The expression the young woman got on her face at times made him think whatever was on that chain was some sort of lifeline. But, her behavior had only started at the beginning of this mission, and Carson wondered briefly if it was because they were off-world. Olivia had told him after their second meeting with Johnis that the man unnerved her…

And so, Olivia worked. She knelt in the sand, facing a child, smiling wide as the ten year old girl wrote her name in the sand. Rēya. Out of the twenty seven children and teenagers who were housed in the building outside of the town, only eight had any knowledge of their letters and could rudimentarily communicate. With Olivia through the use of writing in the sand with sticks or the small supply of paper and utensils Johnis had given her to use. The ones who could write were older, from ten to early twenties. The rest were younger. But Rēya had captured Olivia's heart. The girl had the warmest hazel eyes, and though a bit dirty, her hair was clearly a warm golden copper. She was small, but nothing a more balanced diet wouldn't fix, as Carson had said.

The challenges were plenty in her employment: how to teach the younger children how to read and write in order to get them to understand what Olivia was attempting to do, how to teach the same that words held meaning and were associated with objects, which in turn, were represented by signs demonstrated by hand motions when they lived in a world where sound and speech were nonexistent, how to make the other villagers understand the importance of Olivia's presence despite Johnis' every move to undermine her, how to earn trust, and so on and so forth.

However, most of that did not matter when Rēya glanced at her, understanding painted clearly on her innocent, youthful features. Apparently, the young girl's issue was simple: she did not speak. Carson assured Olivia that she was perfectly capable of doing so, she simply didn't. Olivia smiled back and was caught off-guard by the sudden hug. Ten year old arms wrapped around Olivia's neck, and she returned the embrace, closing her eyes to enjoy the moment. When Rēya pulled away, the girl's attention was caught by the necklace that had revealed itself out from under Olivia's t-shirt. A question puzzled Rēya's eyes, eyebrows knit together as she fingered the pendant and the ring. They tinkled, and the sunlight made them sparkle.

Olivia replied, "The book pendant was my grandmother's. She died a few years ago. The other is a ring."

The girl knitted her eyebrows further and tugged on the ring gently.

"Ring."Olivia repeated, "It goes on your finger. Like this." And without too much thought, because doing so would probably pain her, she unclasped the silver chain and slipped of the tanzanite ring. With a quick move of her fingers and out of habit, she slid it onto her left ring finger, suppressing the chill that ran through her nerves as the cool metal encased her finger. She took a deep breath, "See?"

Rēya smiled again and nodded.

"She's taken a liking to you, has she?"

Olivia stood and placed the chain back around her neck, "Hey Carson."

"Liv."

Rēya waved and turned to go back playing with the younger children, apparently thinking she was done talking. Olivia waved in return before facing her friend. The doctor must have just returned from Atlantis where he had been running various more in depth tests on samples he'd taken from the twenty seven. He'd promised to come back and find her as soon as he was finished.

"What can ya tell me, hm?" She asked as she got back up on her feet.

His bright eyes were tinged with something Olivia could not quite pick up.

"Not much, I'm afraid. They all need a better diet and hygiene, and save a handful, their loss of certain senses seem perfectly natural. No abuse or maltreatment."

"What about the few?"

"There are three or four whose disability seems to be a result of maltreatment. And some, like, Rēya, for instance, there is no physical abnormality that is causing her muteness. It must be a psychological matter."

"Titus told me she's an orphan. Wouldn't tell me what happened, though." She said as she brushed the dirt from her hands.

"It could be a number of things. I'd recommend a psychiatrist."

"Yes, well. That's not in either of our purviews and not why I'm here. I am solely tasked with teaching them how to communicate non-verbally. I should not meddle." Olivia replied, a bit snarky as she placed her hands on her hips, face set in a scowl.

"Those aren't your words. Colonel Sheppard's or Johnis'?"

"Who do you think?" She said moodily.

"Aye," he stated, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "but since when has anyone prevented you from meddling? Talk to Colonel Sheppard. He will help you with Johnis."

She pegged Carson with her green eyes and the look of sudden fear reminded the doctor of the look of a trapped animal.

"I can't." She said quietly, her gaze downcast.

"Why not?"

Olivia took a few steps away, turned, and studied the fluffy white clouds forming obscure shapes in the azure sky. Her tone was different this time, less desperate, more casual, "Can I have your confidence, Carson? I mean, I can tell you something and you won't think I'm crazy and tell someone else?"

"Aye." He said honestly, "Of course you can."

She found the rabbit shaped cloud particularly interesting as she spoke hesitantly, "Colonel Sheppard makes me feel weird! He gives me these looks… and he does these things… and it drives me crazy, because…"

Carson peered at her, waiting as she studied the sky, wondering if she was going to continue.

"Because… because I never thought it could happen again, and I don't know, I mean, I don't think I can handle it again, and it's unnerving, and I've read his files, and he's not exactly like… that is, he's not, and I'm not, and it's not… whatever! It's all messed up is what it _is_! And I have no idea what the heck to make of that man, and then I feel like an awful human being, especially for judging him so quickly, and Marie thought going away would help, but it's not! Okay? It's not! I've been here for a while and nothing has changed!"

Carson shook his head, "What are you talking about –"

"I was engaged! Rather, I was going to be. He–he died before he could ask me." Olivia took a deep breath and tried again because she knew nothing of what she'd said previously had made any coherent sense. "I find Colonel Sheppard handsome. I haven't found any man attractive since… since…"

"Since before your almost-fiancé?'

"Yeah." She heaved, "And I know you aren't a woman, and you're probably really uncomfortable with me telling you this, but you're my closest friend I have here right now, and I don't know what to _do_, Carson. I feel like if I walk down that road, I'm betraying him."  
He gave a small, saddened, reassuring smile, and said, "What's his name?"

"Colonel Sheppard? John. Duh." She replied immediately.

"No, Liv." He spoke quietly and forced her to look at him when her placed a hand on her cheek. "What was _his_ name?"

Olivia bit her lip as the information flooded her mind. His name, the curve of the letters in the way he signed his name, the stark contrast of black print on white paper in the military letter they had sent his family. Tears burned the back of her eyes and she blinked them back forcefully.

"I-I can't say."

Concern plastered over Carson's features, "There lies a problem, lass. You need to heal. You can't even say his name, and you are conflicted inside, Liv."

"I know." She choked out, trying to control the emotions she knew were flittering across her face. She could feel them, and she strained to make them stop. Carson moved to hug her, and Olivia accepted it, hiding her face in his shoulder, taking the time to regain her composure.

Boots crunched the dirt on the path leading from the village to the outcasts' complex, "Carson, Olivia! Atlantis has called us back for a couple days, and – " Sheppard's voice called as he made his way toward the two, he stopped a few feet away and asked, "Am I interrupting something?"

Olivia coughed, trying to ease the pain of a trapped sob in her throat and wiped the residue of held in tears from her eyes. When she faced the Colonel, she saw a flicker of surprise and concern in his hazel eyes, though his cocky flyboy attitude remained the same.

Olivia took a step away from Carson, saying, "Quite, Colonel. Carson was just explaining something to me. Medical ridiculousness, as I'm sure you know. Please, continue."

"And I believe your sister wants to talk to you, Olivia."

She nodded her head, "Grand. I'm finally in the middle of being productive and Marie wants a life update. The most inconvenient time to ask, then again, my sister tends to do that. I haven't spoken to her in a couple weeks. Serves me right, I suppose. When do you wish for us to return?"

"Tomorrow. Barring any unexpected missions, we'll have you back here in a few days." He said as he looped his thumbs into the straps of his tactical vest, an easy smile teasing the corners of his mouth.

"Very well, Colonel. I'll tell the others I'll be back soon. Is there anything else?" Olivia asked as she twirled the tanzanite ring around her finger, forcing it to ground her as those intense eyes captured her green ones. He held her stare for a long moment, before flickering down to her wringing hands. She knew he saw the ring, saw the intensity in his stare narrow and sharpen.

"No." He responded curtly.

"Good day, then, Colonel Sheppard. I'll see you in the morning. Carson, see you later." She turned on her heel to return to Rēya, Titus, and the others, taking a deep breath as she walked away.

**.**

The return to Atlantis was uneventful, and before Olivia could even set her backpack back into her quarters, one of the technicians was waving her over for her call to begin with Earth. Colonel Sheppard had said her sister wanted to talk to her. So, Olivia automatically assumed Marie was going to be on her case again. Therefore, her surprise when Beth's voice sounded in her ear piece instead came as a bit of a shocker.

"Marie didn't say where you went, just that you'll be back in time for school to start again. How are you?"

The warm tones reminded Olivia of home and a wave of longing flooded her, "I'm okay. Meeting a lot of new people. Traveling. Finding the world is a lot larger than I'd ever imagined. Working on my linguistic skills. I miss home."

"Well, sounds like you're staying busy at least. Marie said that if I wanted to send you anything, she'll get it to you. That being said, you should get a package from me." She stated cheerfully.

Olivia looked at the medium sized cardboard box that had just been placed on the table before her. It was brown, but covered in at least ten layers of packaging tape. She stared at it dubiously. "Yeah. I have it here."

"Open it, then! Tell me you like it and that I'm the most amazing sister ever."

Olivia chuckled and cut the tape of the box with her pocket knife. Inside were the makings of some of her favorite desserts. White chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, chocolate cheese cake. The special from scratch chocolate cake that had coffee in it with the makings of the cream cheese frosting. The recipes sat atop their respective bundles of ingredients. On the one side of the box were pictures her nephews had drawn, a new purple flower for her hair, a packet of letters in Olivia's handwriting tied together with a piece of blue ribbon.

Olivia took a deep breath so she could speak, "Beth, you are the most amazing older sister a girl could have."

"That's what I thought."

"I didn't know you knew about these..."

Olivia knew her sister didn't need to hear anymore than that to know what she'd found, "Don't hate me Livvy. I honestly think if you read over your own words, you might be able to start healing. Realize that you still have love in your heart. I mean, no one who reads or writes those types of words could ever forget—"

"You read them? Beth!" Olivia shouted, slapping her pocket knife on the table with a loud clap, causing a few people to glance over at her.

"I _said_ don't hate me! I only read a couple to figure out what they were. When I did, I stopped."

Olivia huffed. She let her older sibling wait in silence for a time before replying, "You're the second person within the last twenty-four hours who's told me that I need to heal." Quietly, she added, "I miss him."

"I know, Livvy. I know."

She choked, "So much."

"I know. And I love you, and this might sound harsh, but you need to start accepting it. He's not coming back."

Olivia turned the ring around her finger, "I know. I am sorry."

"_You're_ sorry? For what?" Beth exclaimed, defiant.

"For worrying all of you. I'll be okay, I promise. I just need time."

Now Beth sighed heavily, "We're your family. When you've been hurt like this and act so differently, it's our job to worry. It's kind of in the job description."

"What's your advice then?"

"You said someone else has told you that you need to heal? So… let someone in. You've been bleeding for eight months. Letting someone in may help cauterize the wound. Make it stop gushing."

"Or it could rip everything open all over again and make me bleed to death."

"You can't stay this way, Livvy."

"I know, alright! I'll try, because it's you asking, and Marie is about on my last nerve with her forcing herself into every facet of my life. But I'm not making any promises!"

Olivia could practically hear Beth's smile, "Good. Snap out of your pity party and get back on your feet. Pray. Read your Bible. Talk to people."

"Fine." Olivia spat.

"Good. Now, Marie is itching for the phone. I gotta go. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye. Here's Marie."

She took deep breath, held it to the count of five, let it out, and said, "Hey sis."

"Hey."

"So, have you decided that I've wrecked havoc enough already and you want me home now?"

Marie chuckled, "Yes and no. The President has scheduled an official debriefing for you. It's in three weeks, but I haven't heard of you wrecking havoc yet, except for your getting yourself lost in the city. Which does come as a bit of a surprise… I would have expected a bit more trouble from you. You're still not okay. I can tell. You're missing something still in your voice."

"I don't need another pep talk, okay? Beth beat you to it, which you already know if you were listening in on her one-sided phone call." A pause, "Unless... you didn't have me on conference call, did you?"

"I plead the fifth on that…"

"Marie, I swear I'm gonna-"

"Gonna what? Listen, I just need to tell you something before you hear it from Doctor Weir without any warning. She's asked for an extension to your stay."

That caught her off guard. She thought everyone was itching for her to go home, "What? Why? It's not like I'm doing a whole lot…"

"I heard about your current mission. Sounds like you're starting to find a niche. But the point is that you'd still come back in three weeks to give us a briefing and answer our questions, but you'd have an indefinite stay on Atlantis. You don't have to, but Doctor Weir asked for the clearance to involve you as an expedition member, and since her argument was persuasive, permission has been granted, if you so choose to stay. But it's completely up to you."

"Why the sudden change of opinion?"

"Apparently, you have the ATA gene." She heard her sister pause as she riffled through some papers, "According to Doctor Beckett's report, in such an amount that rivals Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard's."

"Carson?" Olivia's voice rose in pitch, "_Carson_ knew about this?"

Marie sounded as if she was reading something, "Doctor _Carson_ Beckett. Yes, it appears so. It's his report that he filed with Weir and the SGC five days ago. Why?"

"No reason." She replied innocently, while mentally planning various forms of bodily harm to the doctor. "I have to go. Was that all you had to tell me?"

"Yes."

"Fabulous. I'll talk to you later, 'kay? Love you. Bye."

Marie could only say a quick "bye" before Olivia hung up on her. The fact that Carson had been keeping information of this sort from her was a sure fire way to end up on her crap-list, and it irritated her to no end. Olivia set down the earpiece she'd been using to communicate with her sisters, turned on her heel, and made her way to the Infirmary. A certain Scottish someone had some explaining to do, and then a certain woman of the name "Elizabeth" had even more explaining to do.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Happy reading! Reviews are like chocolate! (Which I am in need of… College is ridiculous. I've read ten books already in the first five weeks. Blaaaaah!)**

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**Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

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The President's Informant: Chapter Nine

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Carson had not been in the infirmary as Olivia had expected. Instead, she was told she would find him in Doctor Weir's office, so that was where she went directly. She met with no resistance as she marched herself to the woman's glass enclosed office, opening the door without knocking or pausing for admittance. She just opened the closed door, and finding no one, she wheeled to the conference room Olivia had found herself in the day she had arrived in Atlantis. The panel doors cracked open, and she barged in, taking note of the faces present, and announcing before anyone else could object to her presence, "Great! You're all here. Now start explaining."

It came as no surprise to Olivia that Doctor Weir was the first one to recover and gain mastery of her wits, "Olivia. Is there something you need?"

"Yes. An explanation, and don't force me into a habit of repeating myself."

Doctor Weir paused for a heartbeat, "I don't think I quite understand..."

"Oh, I'm sorry... Did that sound like a suggestion, or should I rephrase?"

Carson's eyebrows knitted together as he asked, "Liv? Are you upset about something?"

"'Upset?'" She turned to face him, her green eye burning, "Out of all the words in the English Language you use 'upset'? No, I am not 'upset.' I am angry. It's more rage than sadness, thankyouverymuch! Border lining _furious_ if I don't start getting some answers or I swear I_ will_ start knocking heads together. Now spill, or I'll spill some of that sticky red stuff that resides in your body, and don't you dare presume for a second that to be a lie. I've been taught how…" She drifted into silence as she caught the title page of the file sitting in front of each expedition member.

There sat a stunned silence for a moment, glancing at each other as they tried to figure out who should speak first and attempt to calm the seemingly crazy woman in front of them.

"Really? Really. I thought better of you. Carson, I granted you a confidence and then you betray a patient-doctor privilege. And while Doctor Weir is, more or less, my commanding officer, I have to hear it from my own sister, who is current on the other side of the universe might I add, that there has been a special request for my services because of some sort of pish posh about a genetic defect or something in my blood or whatever? And then the rest of you! Do I not warrant any type of respect for you to be obviously in cahoots with the rest of them and keep this from me? And don't you even dare to try to use the excuse of there 'wasn't enough time' or you 'just found out,' because that is bologna, because that report I see in front of you with my name on it was filed five days ago. Five. So, answers. Now! I will not ask again."

It looked as of Weir was steeling herself before answering, "Alright. Olivia, since you obviously have part of the truth, the whole truth is that we would like you to stay with the expedition. You have the ATA gene to such a degree that rivals Colonel Sheppard's, and we have not yet come across someone with that same amount of strength or ease to operate it. The reason why you were able to access the archive room a few weeks ago so easily was because you used the gene without even being aware of it. You've already been given the clearances to be here, so you might as well work here too.

"I know you have to report back to Washington D.C. within a couple weeks, but after that, I would like you to stay and learn how to control your ability and work at Atlantis. For the lack of a better word you'd be Sheppard's protégé in certain areas, aiding research teams in completely low-risk operations."

"No-no-no!" Rodney objected, finally broken out of his thoughts long enough to comprehend what was going on, "She's not allowed to blow anything up! I have enough problems with Zelenka. Elizabeth?"

Doctor Weir gave him a stare that shut him up. If it weren't for the fact that Olivia was slowly become overwhelmed by the implication of such an arrangement, she probably would have applauded. Instead, Olivia ignored him and said, "You want me to stay here and give up my life on Earth? My family? My job? My home? I already have a life, friends, and students that rely on me… I am no soldier. No researcher. I am a teacher. That's all."

"It would not be much different than what your situation is now. You can still communicate with your family, visit on occasion." Weir offered. "Look, I know you would have to give up a lot, we all have, and I cannot promise much other than the opportunity to explore the galaxy and discover new things. I cannot promise your safety either; it is not like being here on Presidential orders. If you stay, you stay knowing we encounter a different type of danger every day. I just want you to think about it. You do not need to give me an answer immediately. Think about it. Sleep on it."

Olivia clenched her jaw, working the muscles as she ground her teeth. She could not lie and say that the idea didn't present some sort of appeal to her. It would be new and exciting and dangerous… "Fine. If that's the whole truth, I'll think about it." She spat and crossed her arms over her chest. "But Carson still owes me."

"What?"

"You heard me! You should have come to me first with the results of this gene nonsense, not Weir. Therefore, you owe me tomorrow. It's a Saturday, so normal people have this thing called 'a day off' and you have this thing called 'a weekend.' You, my good sir, are having a day off; because I swear I haven't seen or heard of you taking a day since I got here. That's part of your penance."

Carson just looked at her, confused. "Only a part? There's more?"

"Oh, yes! I try not to hold grudges, but seeing how this is a completely different universe,

I'll make an exception… I haven't quite decided what, but you can be assured it will probably involve something that will entertain me but embarrass you. I just haven't come up with anything yet. So… be duly warned. I'm thinking about it."

He gave a sort of half-chuckle half-snort, "Aye. I'm warned."

"Fantastic! You have until 8:30 tomorrow morning. I will meet you outside your office, and you better be ready. I'll go now, so you have time to prepare, and I need time to think about a lot of stuff. So… if the rest of you don't see me for a while, I'm not dead. Bye."

Olivia turned on her heel, departing as suddenly as she had arrived. Thoughts swirled in her head like a whirlpool, muddling her rational thoughts and creating a mess within her mind. The distinct humming in her ears enveloped her, and as she entered into her quarters, she sprawled herself on the bed. The whisper of the wind and the humming created a soothing music in her brain, causing her to become drowsy. Olivia tried to fight it, but soon her body became overwhelmed and she slipped into dreams.

They were curious dreams, filled with talking walls and doors that opened for her just at a thought, whispering their secrets of hidden rooms full of knowledge, screens with her familiar letters, and a chair that glowed a bright blue as she approached it. Then the shining chair morphed into Lt. Colonel Sheppard, hazel eyes daring, dark hair haphazard, cocky smile enticing. Then the flyboy pilot transformed. Hazel eyes turned grey blue, the color of the sea after a storm; his hair darkened and fell across his forehead. His jaw squared, his face rugged and scruffy with a couple days' growth. His cocky smile grew warm, his eyes softened lovingly. Sheppard's lithe form broadened a bit, shaping into the built form of a 6'2'' Special Forces soldier. His arms opened wide, waiting for her to jump into him for his safe embrace. Olivia tried to run to him, but her feet would not budge. Instead, his handsome face distorted in pain and as various wounds inflicted themselves upon him spontaneously, Olivia tried to reach out for him, but he fell away from her as if the floor no longer existed.

Her heart wrenched in her chest, and the pain was so keen it woke her. His name died on her lips as she choked on her scream. Olivia scrubbed her hands over her face, wiping away stubborn, burning tears. When she could see through the remains of mist in her eyes, the clock read 0247. With a groan, Olivia realized she had slept through the rest of the afternoon and well into the night. Her right hand wrapped around the ring on her left, twisting it in circles, 'round and 'round. In her mind, she could still see his grey eyes staring at her, loving her… then losing her.

Olivia shook her head from the memory, and forcing her heavy heart to focus on something else, her tired green eyes rested on the package Beth had sent her earlier that day. Since there was nothing else to entertain or divert her attention, she took out the ingredient for the white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies.

The halls were surprisingly deserted for the time of night. She had figured since it was a military/research base, more people would be around. But when she found the Kitchen off the Mess Hall, there were no personnel in the room. She avoided the Mess itself in case there was someone catching a late night/early morning snack, and set herself to the task of making cookies. The task was simple, and because Olivia had made them so many times, her movements became familiar and routine. Add sugar, crack eggs. Stir in nuts and chocolate. Drop spoonfuls on baking sheet.

Her mind had gone blank, focused more on the sensation of baking than her surroundings. So, when a voice spoke as she set her two baking sheets loaded with cookie dough into the oven, being caught off-guard was an understatement. Olivia was completely shocked.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She turned to see John Sheppard, slightly disheveled but still clothed in his normal uniform. The faces from her dreams assaulted her, and she gripped the edges of the counter to steady herself. She closed her eyes and took a slow breath to level her head again.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. You're up late."

He watched her for a moment, as if considering something but dismissed it and continued on, "That happens when I have a stack of reports on my desk and Elizabeth demanding they be finished and filed." He shrugged, "How about you?"

She gave an answering shrug, crossed her arms over her chest and turned to keep an eye on her timer. He said nothing, waiting for the silence to become uncomfortable enough for her to break it. It was a solid five minutes until she muttered, "I wanted to make cookies for my outing with Carson tomorrow. I forgot about it until now."

His brow creased. "Liar," he accused.

She glared at him. "You sound rather certain of yourself on that account."

"If it was the truth, it wouldn't have taken you so long to say so, and logic would say to just get up early before kidnapping Carson, not at three in the morning." He replied as he took a seat by her mixing bowl.

"Ha. I don't like you right now." She said as the timer sounded, and she grabbed the mittens in order to take the cookies out of the hot oven.

"That implies that you like me at other times."

Olivia pegged him with one of her glared as she set the tray of cookies on the counter and started to lift them onto a cooling rack. She was half tempted to smack him across the face with her spatula because of that coy grin of his, but tempered the inclination, choosing instead to save dirtying one of her baking implements. Maybe he would go away after a while, if he could take a hint…

"…You can tell me why you're up at 3am…"

…apparently, he couldn't.

"…I said why I was up." He continued.

Olivia rolled her eyes and brushed her bangs out of her eyes with her left hand, "What are we, in High School now? I didn't ask you why _you_ were awake, you just offered. Just because I want to keep stuff private doesn't mean you need to barge into my life demanding answers… alright?!"

"Olivia-" he attempted to begin, his tone reconciliatory.

However, Olivia was too flustered to care, "Just because I can't get my dead almost-fiancé out of my nightmares doesn't mean everyone needs to keep asking me how I am, or demand answers from me and hide things from me until I'm 'well enough' to handle it. I'm fine, okay? Just fine! Now, go away, before I chuck cookie dough at your head."

Her green eyes widened a moment after the words fell from her mouth. Her knuckles whitened at the grip she held on the spoon.

"I didn't just say that all out loud, did I?"

His nod confirmed it.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and drew another deep breath, trying to gain control, again. After a short while, she opened them and ignored him for the rest of the time it took her for to finish baking her cookies. She avoided his eyes, and softening lines on his face as her ramble sunk in. In retrospect, it probably would have been better to have just changed the subject and not give him time to think about it, but it was too late to break the silence. It was close to 0415 by the time she was through cleaning and packing the treats for her outing in a few short hours.

John Sheppard's 'good night' as she left the kitchen was the first words either had uttered in over an hour. He had simply watched her as she completed her tasks, processing her tired tirade. He'd learned a piece of Olivia Bluefield that had not been in her files, but a piece of her heart she had revealed. And it surprised him to discover that he wanted to help her, in some way, to stop the pain she was clearly experiencing. It was written on her face. It was clear to him. She was still bleeding. He shook his head sadly, and left for his bed as well. There was nothing he could do for her presently.

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0730 comes surprisingly swift when a person had only went back to sleep three short hours before. It was with extreme reluctance that Olivia dragged herself out of bed and forced herself to dress nicely for the day. With her red ballet flats, dark wash bootleg jeans, red scarf, blue structured belted jacket, and silver filigree earrings, she accepted the fact that she should at least try to look like she hadn't spent half the night awake… which she had, but that was beside the point. She grabbed the container holding the cookies she'd made from her little desk, the bottom of it still a bit warm and smelled lovely.

She made her way to Carson's office and arrived by 0825. He, of course, was hard at work behind his desk scribbling over some papers and filing some sort of thick folder. When he looked up at his door five minutes later, Olivia gave him a gentle smile before barging in and dragging him away from his work. He did not object. Mostly because Olivia would not allow him to, and because when he had told the doctor on duty last night about how Ms. Bluefield was going to kidnap him for a day off, the doctor would not hear of Carson not going and was practically ordered away from his own infirmary by one of his junior doctors. However, the shadows in Olivia's face had been enough convincing when he saw her smile at him. She'd not slept well, and as much as Carson could use a day off, Olivia probably needed something to distract her.

"What are we doing Liv?" He asked as she walked with him, arm in arm, down a corridor.

"I asked around and found out that you like to fish. Personally, I hate it and don't have the patience for it. But since this day is for you, my tastes are not relevant. Today, my pleasure is found in you having a wonderful and relaxing day. So. Fishing it is. I've hitched a ride to the mainland. Teyla said that there are some good fishing spots around and is going to supply us with the necessary tackle and what not. Today, you get to teach me how to fish. I warn you though. The last time I went fishing I was four, and I only got to go because my cousin tried to drown me and my sister. Not good memories associated with the sport. Hopefully, you can improve on it."  
"Aye. That I'll do, Liv."

They met Teyla, who took them to the mainland and set them up with all the supplies they could possibly need, as well as a guide the best fishing spots. They spent the rest of their day out in the sunshine, laughing over stories and Olivia's miserable attempts at fishing, and the day flew by before either of them had realized it. They ate their dinner with Teyla and a few others, consisting of fish they'd caught, and by "they" she meant "Carson," and made their way back to Atlantis just as the sun was setting over the water, painting the sky in beautiful hues. Just as they landed and were about to leave, Carson turned to Olivia.

"Thank you for today, Liv. I didn't realize how much I needed to relax."

"Doctors don't always understand the need to watch out for their own health, instead of everyone else's. Sometimes, they need a smack in the face by a good friend who won't take 'no' for an answer." Olivia smiled gently as she took his arm.

"Now we're 'good friends.' I thought you were angry with me."

"Not angry. Just annoyed. You kept something from me that was about me. I do not like that. Besides, I think you slipping on the wet stones and falling on your butt embarrassment enough to fulfill the rest of your penance. Just don't do keep things from me again."

"I promise, my good friend. But you're keeping things from me, or does this friendship not go both ways."

Olivia blinked. It only hurt because it was true. They were good friends, but she hadn't told him everything, and if she was going to bury her dead, she needed to open up and stop hiding everything. Perhaps a new friend who did not know her since she was twelve was the right person to tell. She inhaled slowly, and steeled herself.

"You're right. Nate. His name was Nate. Nathaniel Conner. He was a Navy SEAL. I met him when I was visiting my sister in D.C. He was handsome and intelligent, strong in every way I needed. I was stable and ridiculous in every way he needed. He was the first man I ever dated. The first man I ever loved in that way, and I fell hard. He was about to make Captain when he was deployed. After two years, it was the last test before we were going to make serious considerations about our future. Two months later…" Stinging tears threatened to cloud her vision, and she fingered the precious tanzanite ring on her right hand. "His mother called me, sobbing. He was declared KIA. However, when I finally persuaded my brother-in-law to find out some information with his contacts in the CIA, I learned the area he was station had been bombed. They couldn't identify his remains, but because of the reports from his unit, he and one of his men were declared dead. After… after a few months, with all of us sure he was dead, his brother called me and said he had something to give me. I went, and he gave me a small ring box. My mom told me Nate had already asked them for permission and had every intention of asking… of asking me to marry him when he came home.

"There. You know. Is it going to make the nightmares stop now?" She asked abruptly. "It was almost eight months ago. Part of the reason Marie sent me here was to get me to do something away from home and all the memories that triggered all the pain. Thought I could heal out here."

Carson tried to smile at her, but it looked more like a not-really-painful grimace. After recognizing it wasn't carrying his intended emotion, he cupped Olivia's face with his hands and rested his forehead against hers. He whispered, "Only you can let yourself heal, Liv. Only you can make the nightmares stop. But you are starting in the right direction. You've told someone. That's a step."

"A really sucky step." She amended.

"Aye. But still a step." He smiled successfully this time. "Now, shall we go watch a movie and eat popcorn?"

A tear slipped out the corner of one eye, and Carson used his thumb to brush it away gently, "Yes. That sounds like an excellent plan."

Carson kissed her cheek, "Good."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Happy reading! Reviews are like chocolate! I know I'm a horrible writer for making all y'all wait for such a while. So sorry … college changes all of my plans when it comes to my writing. Alas, it was Senior Year, so there is some end in sight, where ever it may lead. Thank you all for your reviews and support as I write this. Whenever I begin a story, I know it will be a long road, so thank you for sticking with me, even though this is only chapter ten. I hope you enjoy Olivia as much as I do. I also know its super short in comparison to some other chapters, but I figured you all deserved evidence of life. **

**On a side note, I do like constructive criticism, but it must be just that: constructive. Call it the English teacher in me, but I need textual evidence and analysis if you are going to critique something and not just a general statement. Quoting adds strength to your argument. Thanks! =)**

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**Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

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The President's Informant: Chapter Ten

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"As much as I would like to, I do not believe I can. It is not within my purview to stay, ma'am. I have duties at home, and my time here is almost over. I will report to my sister and the President and be on my merry way. It'll be as if I was never here in the first place. Besides, I have a home to get back to, students who need me, and a dog I want to hug." Olivia stated as she watched Elizabeth from the other side of her desk. "I will finish my interpretation and linguistic teaching on the planet I visited, but after that, I will go back where I belong, ATA gene or no. This is not my life here, and I am but a visitor. I am no explorer, and while I have made a few friends in my time here, I cannot say that there is much to keep me here, and I have done what my sister has asked of me, personally and professionally. You do understand, do you not?"

Elizabeth gave a slightly small smile and leaned back into her office chair and said, "Part of your explanation sounds as if you are trying to convince yourself to leave; that it is the right decision. I am aware your sister sent you here to give an unbiased account of this base, but I also know you carry burdens yourself, and I hope, that even though your stay here was brief, you may have found some sort of relief."

Olivia furrowed her brows in confusion and paused before replying, "How can you know that?"

The older woman raised a hand and waived it in her direction, as if referencing her physical condition, "It's written all over you, Olivia. I am a woman who has made a career in reading people, and you are an open book."

Olivia opened her mouth to retort but shut it closed again, gaping like a fish. She closed her eyes and turned her head away slightly, accepting the judgment begrudgingly. A deep breath and counting to ten in German later, she opened her eyes and stated, "I should be able to handle that claim, as you are not the first to say so. In any case, my burdens are my own, and my assignment is almost over. I have done my research and have structured an argument for those in authority, and I will give you this: Atlantis is amazing, and I hope I can give people their right due to those who can recognize it in the most meaningful ways."

Elizabeth nodded and looked as if she was about to say something before an alarm sounded, causing her to stand and move out of her office to investigate. Olivia heard the call of "unauthorized activation" by the disembodied voice of a tech and went to follow the doctor, watching as a bunch of highly trained and highly armed Marines streamed into the room, guarding the entrance to the 'Gate. Olivia simply walked over to the little balcony overlooking the floor and watched in amazement at the shimmery, water like substance undulated as if blown by a breeze. It was still so new to her that the awe of it had yet to wear off.

"Things sure do change around here pretty quickly, huh?" Olivia muttered to no one in particular.

Weir stood by a tech's shoulder as Colonel Sheppard came running up the stairs, a questioning look in his eyes. Olivia turned away and focused on the shifting blues of the 'Gate as she leaned against the balcony railing, and watched curiously as a transparent shield appeared in front of it, clouding it slightly. She tilted her head to the right slightly and furrowed her brows. She'd read of the shield being used in the reports but had never really seen it in person before. It was amazing that such a thing existed and could protect Atlantis from the incoming wormhole. It defied everything she had ever heard of or seen, and yet, the astronomical reality, in layman's terms, was that she was on a floating city in a different galaxy. After so many weeks, one would think she would be able to wrap her head around the entire concept. But, no.

"It's Olivia Bluefield's IDC, ma'am." The same tech announced and everyone in the room turned their heads to face the young woman in question; the voice cut through her fog of amazement, and she could feel their stares drilling into her, burning a hole in her back.

She refused to look at them, and forced her brain to cooperate and process what exactly those words meant. The sudden change of events still had her whirling. It took her a full minute before she said a word, and when it did, a name passed over her lips, "Titus." She whispered to herself, her hands clenching tightly around the railing until she lost the feeling in her fingers. Her sight clouded and became blurry around the edges. She forced herself to take a deep breath, close her eyes, and swallow the fear that was clawing at her throat. Things were happening to quickly for her oversensitive mind to work correctly, and now voices were demanding answers and the buzzing in her brain returned with vengeance.

"Who has your IDC?" Weir demanded from behind her.

"Titus." Olivia said again, and then once more for all to hear, "Titus." She swallowed, another deep breath brought her head back on her shoulders, "In case something happened."

"Those codes are not for just anyone."

Olivia turned on her heel and crossed her arms across her chest, trying to defend herself with the small, physical action, "But I've read in reports of when you do give them to some people. It wouldn't be the first time it has been done."

"Our allies, people we know who have been authorized for a specific purpose so we can aid them if there is trouble. Under no means do we just hand them out without my permission." Elizabeth replied curtly, and Olivia refused to let the woman's penetrating glare cut her resistance.

"So I skipped the bureaucratic crap!" she spat defensively, her ire rising to her normal self, "It's Titus. I know it is because I gave him the IDC device and told him not to use it unless in dire need. I told him that if something was ridiculously wrong to go to the 'Gate, dial Atlantis, send the code, and count to a hundred. So, unless you want to kill an innocent fourteen year old boy, I suggest you let him in. He'd be at around eighty by now. You have twenty seconds to make up your mind."

"Doctor Weir?" the tech asked, breaking the silence of the stare down between politician and civilian.

"Lower the shield" was her reply, and a moment later, Doctor Weir stepped forward close enough to whisper in Olivia's ear, "that is the first and last time you will ever offer me an ultimatum." Olivia did not miss the look in the older woman's eye that clearly stated their discussion was not over. There would definitely be a dressing down Olivia would not enjoy. However, the irony was not lost on her. Just moments before the doctor had wanted her to stay on Atlantis, and now it appeared as if Weir would want to ship her home as soon as possible, and part of Olivia could not blame the good doctor for thinking so. Olivia knew she had crossed a line, but Johnis had been so horrible, and Titus had been so good, that she did not give a second thought to the consequences. Perhaps some part of her did not consider there would be any, since she was set to leave in such a short amount of time. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood to keep her from saying anything rash or act as impulsively as she had when she'd given Titus her own transmitter. Instead, she rushed down the stairs without a second glance, and when the young man stumbled through the blue mass, Olivia took in his dirty and ripped clothes, ruffled hair, and scuffed elbows and knees, saw the blood dripping down his face and off his chin from a cut on his cheek bone, the limp of a sprained left ankle, and the heavy breathing of a child that had just run away from something terrifying.

Olivia cupped his face in her hands, and it took all of three seconds before the adolescent collapsed into her strength. She took his weight, soothed the hair off his brow, and sunk them to their knees. She heard Carson's voice in the background, mixed with Sheppard and Weir's commanding tones, and McKay's nasally pitch. It did not matter, because the boy she held in her arms sat crying, grasping at the folds of her tunic, muttering in her ear, "They took them. They took them because father told them you'd come, and they wanted you so they took them."

"Shh… you're safe, Titus." Olivia looked up and saw Titus and herself circled by the leaders of Atlantis. "No one is going to hurt you. Just breathe, Titus. Just breathe."

His tears subsided after a few more minutes, and he composed himself well enough to allow himself to be conveyed to Carson's care. However, before she let go of his hand, he spoke one sentence very clearly, and it cut to Olivia's heart. Doctor Weir, Colonel Sheppard, Teyla, Ronan, and McKay saw all the emotions swirl in her green eyes and on her face. It was so amazing that so few words could result in such a change of a person's demeanor. In this case, it took four: "They took Rēya, 'Livia."


End file.
